EBL will feature
Non-linear Lending(tm), a multiple-concurrent lending model
which allows a single title to be checked out simultaneously
by multiple patrons. Other features of EBL include digital
interlibrary lending, unique ebook reserve functionality and
lending by the chapter. eBook titles will be able to be
browsed online and then downloaded to a desktop, laptop, or
hand held device for use offline. The system will allow
patrons to perform full text searches across their library's
entire ebook
collection.
The impetus to develop EBL was
client driven. Unable to find an existing ebook library
solution that was suitable for his specialized research
environment, Jens Vigen, Scientific Information Officer at the
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva
approached eBooks Corporation. CERN's Education and Technology
Transfer Division is now working closely with eBooks
Corporation to shape an ebook lending product that meets the
special needs of research and academic libraries.
 CERN
sowed the seeds of ebooks
Vigen says, "CERN gave the world the
Word Wide Web in the early 1990's. It is appropriate that we
should continue to work on projects that promote innovation in
the transfer of information and technology." He explains,
"CERN Library has been involved in electronic publishing since
the web began. With the development of electronic journals we
realized too late that we should have put in a foot earlier as
it has taken effort to convince publishers to redesign their
products after they had been released. With this in mind, we
are now actively doing something for the electronic book so
that the industry will come up with products that correspond
to the needs of scientific
libraries."
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eBooks Corporation has specialized
in the production and distribution of digital books since
1997, and launched one of the world's first ebook stores
(ebooks.com) in 2000. Stephen Cole, Founder and Managing
Director of eBooks Corporation says, "We have refined the
distribution of ebooks in our retail channel and are now
expanding our distribution to academic libraries. We come to
the library arena with a deep understanding of ebook
technology and its uses. Building on our experience we're
creating a lending platform which will bring tremendous
flexibility to library patrons and deliver real efficiencies
and cost savings to academic and research libraries.
Sensitivities surround digital
libraries
"We're very conscious of the many
commercial and ideological sensitivities surrounding digital
libraries, and are determined that EBL will live up to the
expectations of patrons, libraries, publishers and authors.
EBL will do what everyone thought digital libraries were
supposed to do."
EBL will offer an extensive academic
catalogue with a particular focus on STM titles and will
feature an extensive listing of ebooks by Australian
publishers. More about the eBooks Corporation here.
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