What are Ebooks?
E-books, are digitized, “electronic” books that are read on a variety of devices. You can use a regular desktop or laptop computer to read some e-books, but there are also specialized readers (Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, iPad), smartphones (iPhone, Droid) and PDAs (Palm, Pocket PC) that display e-books. There are advantages and disadvantages compared to print. One advantage is storage capacity and the ability to store many, many pages without the weight and size of print products. Some e-books can be searched for words and phrases, allow notes to be posted, and have other convenient features. One disadvantage is the limited ability to share files due to Digital Rights Management (DRM) on files; more on that below.
What kind of files and software are involved?
There are different file formats for e-books, just as there are different file formats for graphic and photo computerized files. They include Text (.txt), Hypertext Markup Language (.html), Adobe Portable Document (.pdf), Kindle (.azw), Microsoft Reader (.lit), and more. (See Wikipedia’s article on file formats) Some files require special reader software, which is included with a reading device or can be downloaded from the online bookstores that sell the e-books. The files and special software make reading e-books more enjoyable and functional than simply scrolling through text.
How can I obtain and share E-books?
Current, copyrighted e-books, including best sellers, can be purchased at competitive prices. Copyrighted material usually includes “digital rights management” (DRM) protection, and is typically read with special reader software that protects copyright and limits sharing. There are also many free e-books; they usually are older works whose copyright has expired, or are promotional items to introduce you to an author, genre or publisher.
DRM issues are familiar to digital music users. With some file formats, the e-book is tied to a specific computer or device and allows no or limited sharing with others beyond the original purchaser. There are concerns about long-term access if the publisher, DRM software provider, author, or other party removes files or changes protection. The consumer should bear in mind that DRM protected E-books are more like rentals or leases than a purchased print book.
Does the Dauphin County Library System have E-books that I can borrow?
Not at this time, however – soon, we hope! Here are the challenges:
Because of DRM, public libraries don’t have many options for providing popular and copyright protected e-books to their customers. DRM limits sharing of files with other devices or individuals, and it prohibits the library from being a “middleman” or “re-loaner” of e-books. Many booksellers and publishers profit more from selling e-books directly to the consumer. However, DCLS continues to monitor opportunities for e-book purchases and will make them available as products are refined for the library market.
For an additional overview of e-books, see Wikipedia’s article
Free e-book content:
- Project Gutenberg offers over 100,000 copyright expired (U. S. only) books that were previously published on paper by bona fide publishers and digitized with the help of volunteers. File formats include ePub, Mobipocket, and HTML. No fee or registration, but donations or digitization help is welcome.
- Free E-books is an Australian site with many links to free content sources:
- The Internet Archive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit building a digital library of Internet sites, books and other cultural artifacts in digital form. They have over 1.7 million digitized texts on their site.
- EServer is an e-publishing co-op based at Iowa State University where hundreds of writers, editors and scholars gather to publish over 35,000 works free of charge.
- Online Books Page is hosted by the University of Pennsylvania and facilitates access to books that are freely readable over the Internet. It features an index of the books and “special exhibits” by topic, such as banned books. /
- PagebyPage Books: Hundreds of classic books have been formatted for viewing on your computer, and they download quickly "page by page." You may browse the contents by author or title.
- Bartleby’s emphasizes classics and includes access to the Harvard Classics editions, dictionaries and other reference works.
- Additional free e-book sites
E-book reader Info and Reviews:
- E-reader News Now is a newsletter with the latest information and news on e-readers and content:
- E-reader reviews.com features independent reviews of many devices:
- Epapercentral’s reviews
- Cnet reviews
- PC Magazine’s “How to Buy an E-book Reader” article, December 2009:
- New York Times Holiday 2009 E-book reader overview of Cool-er, Kindle and Sony Reader
- David Pogue of the New York Times compares the B&N and Amazon readers:
E-book copy protection:
- David Pogue of the New York Times comments on copy protection and sharing of e-book files: Read More >>
- This New York Times article discusses the impact of free Kindle content on author visibility and sales:
- Cnet review of Kindle 2 (U.S. wireless)
- Cnet review of Kindle 2 (International wireless)
Barnes and Noble Nook – Cnet review
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eBooks