Ebook+Committee

**Created to Provide Assistance in Purchasing New E-Books and E-Readers**
 * E-Book and E-Reader Guidelines Created for Marion County Library Media Specialists **


 * Critical Questions to ask before implementing new E-Books and E-Readers in your school: **
 * Will my patrons be accessing the digital content through a browser, or downloading the e-books onto their E-Reader?
 * What types of devices do most of my patrons already have, or are they looking at purchasing?
 * What collections would you most like to focus on? Fiction or Non-Fiction?
 * Do you plan on purchasing E-Readers to lend out to patrons?
 * How much time and resources can you allocate to managing these devices?

The industry has many competing E-Reader devices which allow various formats of E-Books. ü ** Access - ** where will your patrons be able to read and/or download your E-books and in what format or filetype? Will your e-book collection be browser based? Can they be accessed through your school’s online card catalog (Destiny)? ü ** Compatibility ** - Which device or E-Reader do you want to purchase to obtain access to your e-books? This will determine how and where your E-books will be accessed. Which vendor you will be purchasing from? What apps are available? ü ** Organization – ** How will your patrons know which e-Books you have? If you purchase an individual e-Reader, who will keep track of what books are on each device? Can these books be searched for through Destiny? ü ** Purchasing – ** Have you checked with your bookkeeper/secretary on what you will need from/for the vendor? Is the vendor approved? Will you need an invoice or an itemized receipt? Is there a contract you will be required to sign (not permitted)? How is payment expected? Will you need a credit card to make your purchase? Will your credit card information need to remain on file with the vendor (not permitted)? What bookkeeping/auditing policies are in place so your transition is a smooth one? ü ** Support and Maintenance – ** Will you have ongoing support from the vendor’s technology person? Will you need to buy e-Readers in bulk in order for the vendor of choice to manage and download content (e-Books) onto the device(s)? What about your District’s support? Will your eReader need District tech-support to add the IP address to your network? Will you require parental permission to checkout an e-Reader? How will you handle it at your library if your device is returned in a non-working condition?
 * Things to Consider: **

Consider how you would like your patrons to access your E-Books. Consider the functionalities included with each (battery life, dictionary, highlighter, backlight, font sizes, bookmarks, zoom feature, tracking system, etc.). Will you lend your e-Reader to both teachers and students?
 * E-Readers **

ü **Computer** ü **Mobile Devices**
 * School computers, home computers, laptops, tablets, etc.
 * Browser-based access may be a low-risk option that would allow you and your patrons to utilize ebooks without buying any additional equipment. This option would allow you to offer e-books without having to purchase any specific e-Reader. This option may even the playing field by offering e-Books to those who don't own their own personal e-Reader device and/or for libraries who don't have an e-Reader to loan out to patrons.*
 * iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch, Android, Windows Phone7,Kindle Fire, etc.
 * If many of your patrons already have their own devices on which to read e-books, you may want to consider this for your first step in providing digital books. *

ü **Traditional E-Book readers**
 * Nook, Kindle, Sony E-Reader ,Kobo, etc. ( Kindle requires customers to use a proprietary format.)
 * Nook - []
 * Kindle - []

E-books come in various formats (PDF, ePub, Microsoft Reader, Palm OS, html, etc.), You will want to know if your e-books can be read on a computer (Windows and Mac) and/or if your e-book’s format can be converted between different formats. Are you purchasing your ebooks for classroom usage or individual usage? (Fiction or Non-fiction). If Non-fiction, will you want your ebook to be accessed simultaneously and be interactive?
 * E-Books **

ü **Digital distribution.**
 * Are the checkouts limited?
 * How many times will the publisher/distribution company allow checkouts?
 * Will you have the right to circulate or transfer the title?
 * How many times can you download your e-book?
 * Can you print your e-book?
 * What are the system requirements?
 * Is the level of privacy compromised? If your student checks out a book through your OPAC to a vendor's brower-based e-book, does the e-book check-out leave a digital imprint somewhere? Does the e-book history become part of a vendor's database? Or does the check-out remain confidential within the school library?

ü **Is there a lending program (ILL)? Or Restricted access?**
 * Will you have ownership or simply a license to distribute based on the publishers terms and conditions?
 * Is there an app that patrons will need to download onto their device or is the only access through a URL?

**Suggested ebook Titles**
Resources: [] [] * []