What is an eBook?
The term eBook applies to published materials, such as reference books, scholarly monographs,
and trade books that have been converted into digital format for electronic distribution.
eBooks are much more powerful than traditional books. NetLibrary eBooks are available twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week - from any location in the world, with additional features such
as a dictionary, index, and easy keyword searchability.
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How does the NetLibrary system work?
A library purchases a collection of titles just as they would print titles. NetLibrary
handles all of the technology and hosts the eBooks from our servers. The library determines
the authentication strategy – patrons can find eBooks through eBook MARC
records in the OPAC, or from the library website. As with print books, only one
patron at a time may access each copy of an eBook. The library sets the checkout time for
each eBook through our secure Library Resource Center. The Library Resource
Center also allows you to see usage and collection development reports.
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How are eBooks produced?
NetLibrary receives new titles from a publisher in electronic or print format. The
electronic file or print book is then converted. Non-text pictures, diagrams, and illustrations are
then integrated into the converted document. Enhancements to the eBook include live
links from the Table of Contents and Index and an embedded version of The American
Heritage™ Dictionary of the English Language.
All finished eBooks are meticulously compared with the original to ensure accuracy.
Each eBook emulates its print counterpart, maintaining the books copyright and making
viewing familiar and easy.
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What value do eBooks add to my library?
With a collection of eBooks, you can add thousands of titles to your collection, with
all the same rights of ownership as print books, without having to build any
additional shelves or storage facilities, without investing in additional hardware or
software. Other benefits include no re-shelving, no lost, stolen, or overdue books.
What's more, your library will have access to the Library Resource Center, which allows you to track
usage of eBooks locally. These reports provide you with valuable data to help you
grow and shape your collection to meet the needs of your library users.
Ten good reasons my library should purchase NetLibrary eBooks
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Can eBooks be included in library holding statistics provided to accrediting bodies
during the accreditation process?
To date, librarians have told us that they have included eBooks in their library
statistics for accreditation. The Association of Research Libraries has determined
guidelines for counting eBooks that fit the NetLibrary model, i.e. electronic
manifestations of physical entities/units. For more information, please see ARL's
statistical Q&A.
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How do eBooks benefit my library patrons?
By adding eBooks to your collection, you position your library on the cutting edge of electronic resources and expand the formats in which you provide information to your patrons. With NetLibrary eBooks, your patrons can access library resources anywhere, anytime, with the ability to perform full-text searching across hundreds of books or within a specific book to speed research and reference projects. These books can be viewed online in your library, from home using an Internet browser, or can be downloaded to a laptop. Added benefits also include an embedded dictionary in each book with accompanying visuals and verbal pronunciation, as well as hyperlinks from both the table of contents and index.
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How do eBooks support my e-Learning program?
eBooks are a perfect solution to the problem of providing distance learners with
access to a full library of books. eBooks can be accessed anytime, anywhere with the
same circulation model that traditional libraries offer: one user accessing books for
a designated check-out time.
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What titles are available?
We currently have more than 40,000 eBooks available, with more being added every
day. Right now, you can add thousands of titles from Oxford University Press,
Cambridge University Press, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Routledge, The MIT
Press, Yale University Press, and University of California Press. You’ll find
concentrations of titles in areas including business, computers, education, government
and law, health, history, humanities, science, and technology. When you purchase an
eBook collection, your library users also have access to nearly 4000 publicly accessible
literature and history classics. For an up-to-the-minute list of available titles, visit
TitleSelect.
Or, to see a current list of publishers, click here.
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How do patrons find our eBooks?
Your patrons can access your eBooks directly through your OPAC or via a link on your
web site. Full-level eBook MARC records cataloged in MARC21 format are available for
all NetLibrary eBooks.
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How do I promote my eBook Collection?
With the input of librarians we designed a marketing resource to help you raise awareness
and increase usage of your eBook collection, the eBook Tool Kit.
The eBook Tool Kit web site contains practical tips and tools for making your eBooks accessible and creating
and executing a marketing plan.
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How do patrons check eBooks in and out?
After locating an eBook in your collection, your patrons have the option of browsing
or checking out the eBook. By checking out an eBook, users will have exclusive access to
the book during the checkout period. eBooks are automatically checked back in to the
NetLibrary collection when the checkout period expires.
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Can more than one person at a time check out the same book?
At this time, NetLibrary's patent-pending technology ensures that only one person can
use one eBook copy at a time. If a library or organization has purchased ten copies
of one title, then only ten people at a time may view that title. In addition,
NetLibrary is currently reviewing different access models that meet both library
demands and publisher needs.
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What happens if an eBook is not available?
When an eBook is checked out, the NetLibrary system displays a message indicating
that the eBook is not available.
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Can I print a hard copy version of an eBook or pages from an eBook?
Visitors can copy or print single pages, just as people can photocopy single pages of
a print book. NetLibrary, however, has developed mechanisms for limiting the copying
and printing of eBooks from the Internet. If a user is rapidly viewing multiple
pages of an eBook – a pattern that indicates the possibility of page-by-page printing
– NetLibrary will display a copyright notice and instruct the user to discontinue his
or her actions. If the pattern continues, the account becomes disabled for a period
of time, and the event is logged for tracking purposes.
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How will I know what eBooks are being circulated?
In order to provide our library customers with flexibility and control, we built
a secure web site that we call the Library Resource Center, with tools that facilitate
library management. These tools include usage statistics, the ability to set checkout
times, and turnaway statistics – the number of times patrons tried to check out a
title but were turned away because the book was already checked out. These reports
provide valuable data to help you grow and shape your collection.
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How do I purchase eBooks?
You may purchase eBooks from NetLibrary directly using TitleSelect, from
authorized NetLibrary distributors
and, in many cases, through your consortium.
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What other libraries are customers?
There are currently more than 5,500 libraries accessing NetLibrary eBooks either through
individually owned collections, shared collections via consortia, or both. Our customers
include the majority of ARLs, leading community colleges, and many e-Learning universities.
Academic Customer Profiles
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How much does it cost?
Libraries can select from collections or choose individual titles to create a
custom collection. Prices are based on publishers' list prices, with discounts for
volume. There is also a service fee which helps us manage and continually upgrade
our technology. Remember, NetLibrary is not a subscription service. You own the
eBooks. For more information, call us at 1-800-413-4557, or e-mail at
sales@netlibrary.com
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Can eBooks be set up as a standing order?
Yes, NetLibrary works directly with selectors to profile your library and set up
standing orders.
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A Note on Privacy
NetLibrary supports the American Library Association's Code of Ethics. We believe
that ensuring the privacy of library users is both an ethical obligation and
critical to the ongoing success of the Internet.
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