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 includesBackground and business model descriptions for 51 leading e-book vendorsFour tables comparing content, technical specifications, functionality, and business modelsAn at-a-glance overview of platforms, including vendor website URLsBulleted checklists of factors to consider, and questions to ask vendorsAn examination of the blurring channels of publisher, aggregator, and distributor platforms, with advice to help you avoid content overlap