Sunday, November 28, 2010

Polanka, Sue, Ed.. No Shelf Required: E-Books in Libraries.


American Library Association Editions. 2010. c.194p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-8389-1054-2. $65.00. Item Number: 7400-0542 (e-book, ALA e-Editions). $52.00. B0043VE3J6 (Kindle Edition). $52.00.

Existing for more than 10 years, electronic books are going mainstream. A relatively new phenomenon for many librarians and publishers, they raise many issues and challenges. In this compilation, Polanka (Head of Reference and Instruction, Wright State University Libraries, Dayton, Ohio; M. L. S., Kent State University School of Library and Information Science; “Off The Shelf” Column Writer, Booklist’s Reference Books Bulletin; Moderator, No Shelf Required blog), a reference and instruction librarian with extensive experience in public, state, and academic libraries, as well as a variety of professionals share their expertise about e-books. In nine chapters, contributors examine electronic books in relation to the Internet, student learning, school libraries, public libraries, academic libraries, and the publishing industries. They discuss topics, not limited to the history of e-books, their types, technologies, devices and software applications, pricing models, data standards, usage statistics, preservation, and future. A must-read for librarians and professionals involved with the collection development, acquisition, cataloging, and/or preservation of electronic books, this nicely- presented and well- documented publication, with easy-to-read, insightful essays by experts, provides a significant, solid foundation for further practice and research. It is strongly recommended for many school, public, and academic library collections as a primary professional resource that can be read in its entirety or by chapter, as needed. Review copy. Availability: Amazon.com, Amazon (Kindle Edition), Barnes & Noble.com