eDiscovery

I've been doing a lot of work with eBooks lately, including experimentation with several eReaders and eReading apps, and a deep dive into the thoroughly-frustrating "copywrongs" of many eBook vendors. (It leaves me wondering about the future of copyright and library lending, especially in terms of fair use and first sale.)

I've also been working on a project called eDiscover the Classics, which provides the MARC records for several public domain Project Gutenberg titles, so that libraries can offer a direct download link to these titles right in their online library catalog. This is a work in progress, but it is one affordable way to open a door to library eBooks, while providing eBook education for staff and patrons.

We find ourselves in dynamic times when it comes to eBooks, and it can be intimidating. I'm still finding my way (as we all are), but I do know this: if we want to stake out a a place for libraries in the eBook world, we need to take experiment and action (over and again), stand up for our copy-rights, and question anything that erodes a library's ability to get quality, life-changing materials into the hands and heads of our patrons.

See also, LibraryRenewal.org. This is a wonderful, large-scale project that I look forward to contributing to as it kicks into full momentum.