The United States (‘US’) extended most copyright terms by 20 years in 1998, and has since exported that extension via ‘free trade’ agreements to countries inclu

Addresses vendors' privacy obligations more generally.

Folks know what you read last summer.

New research finds that parents and children talk and interact less with electronic books compared to print books.

Introduction: We investigated the relative availability of e-books to libraries for e-lending in five English-language countries, and analysed their licence ter

In a copyright flare-up, the Internet Archive finds itself on the wrong side of the English-speaking world's two largest author trade organizations.

"Controlled digital lending"

Abstract Objective – This article describes how librarians systematically compared different e-book platforms to identify which features and design impact usability and user satisfaction. Methods – This study employed task-based usability testing, including the “think-aloud protocol.” Students at the University of Colorado Boulder completed a series of typical tasks to compare the usability and measure user satisfaction with academic e-books. For each title, five students completed the tasks on three e-book platforms: the publisher platform and two aggregators. Thirty-five students evaluated seven titles on nine academic e-book platforms. Results – This study identified each platform’s strengths and weaknesses based on students’ experiences and preferences. The usability tests indicated that students preferred Ebook Central over EBSCO and strongly preferred the aggregators over publisher platforms. Conclusions – Librarians can use student expectations and preferences to guide e-book purchasing decisions. Preferences may vary by institution, but variations in e-book layout and functionality impact students’ ability to successfully complete tasks and influences their affinity for or satisfaction with any given platform. Usability testing is a useful tool for gauging user expectations and identifying preferences for features, functionality, and layout.

Why Tor’s decision to embargo new e-book releases in libraries is a wake-up call for librarians.

This paper is about how libraries can legally lend digital copies of books. It explains the legal and policy rationales for the process— “controlled digital lending”— as well as a variety of risk factors and practical considerations that can guide libraries seeking to implement such lending.  We write this paper in support of the Position Statement on Controlled Digital Lending,  a document endorsed by many libraries, librarians, and legal experts.  Our goal is to help libraries and their lawyers become more comfortable with the concept by more fully explaining the legal rationale for controlled digital lending, as well as situations in which this rationale is the strongest.

I sometimes think I live in a constant state of outrage because I read the news. Every day, there’s something new. I occasionally divorce myself from the constant barrage by going on a news-holiday…

Results of a vendor privacy audit performed at SJPL.

Last week we discussed the new “cost-per-circulation” (CPC) model for public libraries — in which they can make e-books available to patrons and pay the publisher per “loan&…

Pay-per-loan business model puts libraries on the unpredictable-cost hook.

Final grant report, including access information.