Overview

Once decisions have been made regarding the procurement of e-books and a strategic plan is in place to establish them as an important part of the library's collection, the next major challenge is to ensure that library users are able to access them! In this section, the authors discuss some of the practical aspects of connecting readers with e-books in the library setting.

Anna Grigson (Chapter 8) of Royal Holloway, University of London, provides a practical overview of the steps that need to be taken to establish the visibility of e-books within the library catalogue, as well as within other systems. Grigson considers cataloguing policy and workflows as well as the challenges of ongoing records management, and establishes clear guidelines for good practice.

Karen Gravett (Chapter 9) of the University of Surrey provides an insight into the diverse ways that the institution has supported user interaction with e-books, from formal information skills training to informal one-to-one support, as well as by facilitating self-help through online guidance. Gravett also reflects on the ways that e-book provision could be further developed in order to improve the experience of readers.

Finally, James Clay (Chapter 10) of Gloucestershire College considers some of the technical challenges that can face users in their interaction with e-books, from authentication and authorization to DRM. Clay also provides an examination of the exciting opportunities offered by e-books in a mobile learning environment.