E-book Platforms for Libraries

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