E-book Platforms for Libraries

Mirela Roncevic

Jan 2013 · American Library Association

About this ebook

E-book vendors continue to experiment: adjustments to business models, consolidation of  content, and mergers with competitors mean constant change. What’s good for innovation can equal confusion when it comes to choosing an e-book platform for your library. Making a sound purchasing decision requires research and close consideration of trade-offs, and Roncevic’s new issue of Library Technology Reports will get you started. Based on surveys of e-book vendors with an established presence in academic, public, and/or K–12  library markets, this report includes

• Background and business model descriptions for 51 leading e-book vendors
• Four tables comparing content, technical specifications, functionality, and business  models
• An at-a-glance overview of platforms, including vendor website URLs
• Bulleted  checklists of factors to consider, and questions to ask vendors
• An  examination of the blurring channels of publisher, aggregator, and distributor platforms,  with advice to help you avoid content overlap

About the author

Mirela  Roncevic is an independent writer, editor and content developer recognized for spearheading a number of initiatives in the LIS field, including the overhaul of reference  coverage in Library Journal. She has also managed publications of  LIS books and newsletters and developed free online resources for librarians, including The Library  Grants Center. At the forefront of the e-book revolution since its infancy, she managed Library Journal's first e-book reviews column in 1999 and is a consultant for  e-content producers, advising them on positioning their products in libraries while working closely with librarians. Editor of The Library Journal Guide to E-Reference Resources, she is also co-editor of eContent Quarterly, a new online journal published by ALA Editions.