November
2000 v. 23, no. 2
Table of Contents:
Internet Corner – Electronic
Books: Science Fiction, Evolution, Revolution, or
Catastrophe - By Ann Coppin
FROM THE CHAIR – Ed Walton
Does time fly or what? It just seems like yesterday it was June,
we were
attending the annual conference and getting our feet wet with the tasks
at hand.
It's now almost Christmas, much planning has taken place and we
are will on our
way to next years annual conference. Wow!
The tentative schedule that was printed in the
August issue of the Bulletin is
not longer tentative. The details have been submitted to SLA for inclusion
in
the Preliminary Conference Program. The locations and speakers
have been
confirmed and we are ready to go. Some sponsors have been lined
up, with more
being pursued. If you want to recommend your favorite vendor as
a sponsor,
contact Dorothy Eska. Contact details are on the PER website.
I'm excited about the program and look forward to attending the Conference.
The
Party at Sunset Station promises to be outstanding. I think we
have some
outstanding speakers lined up, including Susan Cisc, Ph.D., and Dr. Herman
Totten.
Finally, SLA Winter Meeting is coming up in January. SLA has been
diligent
about letting us know about it. If you plan to attend, let me know.
I would
like to meet with you.
Ed Walton
DPER Chair
Back to Table of Contents
INTERNET CORNER – Electronic Books: Science
Fiction, Evolution, Revolution, or
Catastrophic Change?
By Anne Coppin
E-Books
Catastrophe is a sudden violent change; revolution is an assertedly momentous
change; and evolution is a gradual process in which something changes
into a significantly different. Science fiction is fiction based
upon predictions of future scientific possibilities. Electronic
books (e-books or ebooks) have moved from being science fiction to presenting
fiction. This revolution is an evolution, and to some may be a catastrophic
change. Electronic books are simply the contents of a book available
to the reader in an electronic form and have been around as CD ROM or
mainframe publications for over twenty years. It is the explosion
of formats and devices of the last couple of years that are creating a
watershed in their importance. In August, 1999, I wrote “Rather
than dismiss book devices as an interesting “adult toy,” another
approach is to consider how they can be used for other purposes.”
Now the question is how to integrate them into a library’s collection.
There is a multitude of terminology (thus this article uses electronic
books, e-books, ebooks) and technology. Depending upon the author,
there are two categories, four implementations, seven technologies, or
nine models of e-books. Device-independent formats include reading
via web browser (commercial services such as NetLibrary or public-domain
e-books such as Project Gutenberg), and print-on-demand (the book is printed
by a printer/publisher and mailed to the requestor). Downloadable
or web-accessible ebooks are device-independent. Device-dependent
formats require reading on special portable units (Softbook, Rocket eBook,
EveryBook) which are proprietary and dedicated readers. Then there
is reading with special software on either a PC (Adobe Acrobat, Glassbook)
or on personal digital assistants (PDAs) (Microsoft Reader, MobiBook).
Open e-books don’t require special equipment but can be read via
browsers, proprietary e-book readers, and PDAs.
Without standards and with constantly evolving technology acquisition
of e-books may be a challenge. A service such as NetLibrary enables
a reader to check out a book even when the library is not open.
But the reader is limited to access through a browser. A reader
wanting access away from a personal computer will want either ebooks on
proprietary readers or that can be downloaded into a PDA. Thus selection
involves the usual need to know what our users want and the resources
available. Acquisition of commercially available e-books involves
licensing. The same concerns about licensing e-journals or databases
apply to e-books. Technical processing of ebooks may not be much
different or may involve establishing procedures for providing reading
devices and/or downloading into a user’s reading device. Cataloging
may be done as usual using the [computer file] format and with an electronic
access field giving the URL. A new consideration is the length of
time a book is wanted - as technology changes will it still be readable?
What happens if access if needed after a lease ‘expires?’
The following articles and web sites provide discussion of electronic
books and their providers.
Donald T. Hawkins “Electronic Books: a
Major Publishing Revolution Part 1:
General Considerations and Issues,” Online,
v. 24, no. 4, p. 14-28, July 2000.
Gives a general
overview of ebooks and their technologies (four implementations).
Includes lists of links to relevant sites and bibliography for further
reading.
Donald T. Hawkins “Electronic Books: a
Major Publishing Revolution Part 2:
The Marketplace, “ Online, v. 24, no. 5,
p. 19-35, September 2000.
Discusses the major commercial providers of ebooks. Searchlight
E-Book Training is presented as the only systems integrator in the ebook
market.
Walt Crawford “Nine Models, One Name: Untangling
the E-book Muddle,”
American Libraries, p. 56-59, September 2000.
These nine e-book models will provide new resources for libraries and
readers, but are not expected to converge into one model.
http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/apr00/ardito.htm
Stephanie Ardito “Electronic Books: To “E”
or Not to “E;” that is the question,”
Searcher, v. 8, no. 4, April 2000.
Discusses the history,
current trends and issues. Descriptions and links
to “Players
to Watch” and links to electronic book directories.
http://www.rcls.org/ebookcrib.htm
Cribsheet on Electronic
Books (eBooks)
Outline of seven technologies lists players for each with links to their
web sites. Outline continues with benefits, drawbacks and opportunities
for libraries. Highly recommended for its links.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/articles/infotech/digitallibraries/20000801_15318.asp
Roy Tennant “The Emerging Role of E-Books,” Library Journal,
August 1, 2000.
Looks at the audience for e-books and discusses
the two categories, device-dependent formats and device-independent formats.
Provides links to other resources.
http://www.ala.org/alonline/netlib/il500.html
Karen G. Schneider “A Funny Thing Happened
on the Way to the E-Book,”
American Libraries, May 2000.
She
uses her experience reading Stephen King’s ebook “Riding the
Bullet” as a perspective for discussing some publisher issues.
http://www.rrlc.org/ebook/ebookhome.html
Electronic Book
Evaluation Project
The goal of this LSTA-funded project is to evaluate the uses and feasibility
of electronic books in various types of libraries. The first
year, 1999 - 2000, focused on portable, dedicated electronic book devices
including Rocket eBook and SoftBook Readers. The second year of
the project, October 2000 - September 2001, will evaluate ebook technology
by placing it in Rochester, New York academic, public and school libraries.
A bi-monthly Librarian's EBook Newsletter is available as a means of sharing
results.
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/central/ebooks/
Triconference 2000:
Can e-books improve libraries?
Chris Rippel, Central Kansas Library System, provides this site which
covers technology (including a section on readability), improving libraries,
what libraries need, and links to more information. He believes
e-books will improve libraries.
“The Future
of Books,” CQ Researcher, v. 10, no. 24, June 23, 2000.
This
issue is a comprehensive review of the issues, background, chronology,
current situation, issues, and outlook. It concludes with a bibliography
of sources used and readings for the future. Good for background
but not for quick reading.
Two science fiction publishers provide some interesting perspective on
the use of e-books. Michael McCollum is a science fiction author
writing technologically
sophisticated science fiction novels. In 1997 he launched the Sci
Fi - Arizona website and stopped publishing through the traditional publishers.
His novels became accessible as downloadable files (reading via web browser)
available with use of a purchased password. By 1999, when he published
his new novel, Gibraltar Earth, he added an option for a trade paperback
edition (print-on-demand). Now most of the novels have four options
- PDF formatted, trade paperback, palmpilot formatted, and microsoft
reader (i.e. web browser, print-on-demand, and reading with special software
on PDAs). Sample chapters are downloadable for sampling before purchasing.
The second publisher is Baen Books. Baen has released sample chapters
(reading via web browser) several months before publication for several
years. Last January they announced WebScriptions. For a single
payment Webscribers gain access to a site dedicated to Baen 's Frontlist
for a particular month. Three months prior to bookstore distribution
the first half of all four titles will be posted on the site. One
month after that the next quarter will arrive. Then about two weeks
before the books start to arrive in the stores the final installment arrives
and all four books are available in their complete form. Now Baen
is making available, for free, a number of titles in electronic format
(i.e. web browser, device-dependent RocketEBook, and device-independent
MobiPicket and Microsoft Reader for PDAs). Eric Flint, a Baen author,
presents a viewpoint different from those wanting more and more regulations
to prevent piracy.
http://www.scifi-az.com/
Sci Fi - Arizona:
an Author Owned and Operated Science Fiction Bookstore and Writer's Workshop
On The Internet (with a sister website, Third Millennium Publishing, for
print-on-demand).
http://www.baen.com/press.htm
Eric Flint, “Introducing
the Baen Free Library,” October 11, 2000
Other Sites of Interest on E-Books
http://www.openebook.org/
Open eBook Forum
The purpose of OEBF is to create and maintain standards and promote the
successful adoption of electronic books. It is an association of
hardware and software companies, publishers, authors and users of electronic
books and related organizations whose goals are to establish common specifications
for electronic book systems, applications and products that will benefit
everyone.
http://www.ebooknet.com/
eBookNet
Sponsored by Nuvomedia, this site provides daily updates about the world
of electronic books, broken down into "Reading Technology,"
"Things to Read," "Writing eBooks" and "eBook
Business."
http://www.ebookconnections.com/
Information about eBooks, eBook authors, eBook publishers, and includes
eBook
reviews. Also has an ebook best sellers list.
http://bibliofuture.homepage.com/
Bibliofuture
This site focus specifically on electronic book readers.
http://www.netlibrary.com/
netLibrary
They are a provider of ebooks and build a customized eBook Collection
for a library’s needs. Public libraries are using their services
for both free eBooks and commercially available ones. “Experience
eBooks” provides a sample of their service.
http://www.rocket-ebook.com/
Rocket eBook
http://www.softbook.com/
SoftBook Press
http://www.microsoft.com/reader/
Microsoft Reader (for PDAs)
http://www.mobipocket.com/
Mobipocket (formerly MobiBook, is for PDAs)
Sites of Interest
http://www.contentville.com/
Contentville
This e-commerce site advertises that it focuses upon content. They
sell e-books as well as books, dissertations, magazines, speeches, and
study guides. They also provide access to "Chapter Ones"
from many publishers - this is a free way to evaluate a book. While
there is access to many "Chapter Ones" the lists do not include
all titles that are available at a specific publisher's web site.
http://www.ecmag.net/EC2000/web10.html
Web Wanderings: PubList and jake: Free Periodical Reference Sources Greg
R.
Notess EContent, October 2000
Reviews both PubList (http://www.publist.com)
from Bowes & Company and jake
(Jointly Administered Knowledge Environment) (http:/jake.med.yale.edu).
PubList is compared to Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory.
http://www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov/libinfo/ejournals/
E-Journals
While there is specific information about health related e-journals, there
is also general information and links to other resources.
http://www.ecmag.net/EC2000/jatkevicius10.html
Jatkevicius, James and others “Free Legal Resource Aggregators on
the Web”
EContent, October 2000 Volume 23, Number 5.
http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/FieldOps/Cgs/hallow3.htm
Pumpkin Recipes
Includes information about drying or roasting pumpkin seeds.
Ann Coppin
Administrative Coordinator
(323) 583-1292
South State Cooperative Library System
Fax: (323) 583-2314
6518 Miles Ave.
Huntington Park, CA 90255
Back to Table of Contents
SLA
Executive Director Search
The Executive Director Search is entering its next phase.
The SLA Search Committee, has met with Eric Vatour of Russell Reynolds
Associates, the firm SLA has chosen to conduct the candidate search.
The Board
of Directors with the Search Committee has finalized
a job announcement (see below).
We are ready to proceed with an aggressive recruitment campaign which
will
include advertising the position as well as contacting potential candidates.
You and your unit can be helpful with this process and I ask for your
assistance. Here is what you can do:
1.If you have any candidates for this position in mind, please forward
their
names no later than December 24, 2000 to Eric Vatour, evatour@russellreynolds.com
or to him at Russell Reynolds Associates
1700 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Suite 850
Washington, D.C.
20006-4709
1-202-628-2150
2. Please feel free to distribute this announcement to your members via
your
unit discussion list and any other means you choose.
We will be posting information about the search along with the job
announcement on the SLA website as well. We are anticipating that the
search
committee will interview the top candidates in February and will
send the finalists on to the Board for interviews in March.
I appreciate your assistance with helping to spread the word and I know
Mimi
Drake and her committee do too. Please feel free to contact me if you
have any
questions regarding this process.
Finally, I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
Donna Scheeder, President
Special Libraries Association
SPECIAL LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Special Libraries Association, an international
membership association of nearly 14,000 knowledge professionals in 59
countries, is seeking an Executive Director. Headquartered in
Washington, D.C. SLA represents the interests of information resource
experts who collect, analyze, evaluate, package, and disseminate information
to facilitate accurate decision-making in corporate, academic, and government
settings. SLA offers a variety of programs and services designed to aid
its members in serving their customers more effectively and succeed in
the competitive global information management marketplace. As a
leader and the manager of an international membership association in a
field that is growing and changing rapidly the position requires a self-confident
person with vision and commitment who can recognize and act on critical
trends in society, the information industry, and the profession. The
Executive Director serves as the Chief Staff Officer of the association
and is responsible for overseeing the planning, execution, implementation,
and evaluation of all Association programs under the general direction
of the Board of Directors. The Executive Director along with the President
is the spokesperson for the Association and works with the Board of Directors
on policy and setting strategic direction. The position requires extensive
travel and ability to function effectively in the international arena.
Major responsibilities include:
Working closely with the Board of Directors,
elected annually with multi-year terms, in setting strategic directions
for the Association and developing and implementing programs to further
these objectives and directions;
Managing significant organizational change;
Employing effective human relations encompassing recruitment,
hiring, motivating, and retention of a competent, skilled, diverse, and
knowledgeable work force;
Managing the Association to create satisfaction for
members, staff, vendors, and collaborating partners;
Promoting the image and position of the Association
and the profession through the employment of effective public relations
and marketing programs;.
Leading the Association’s efforts in fundraising;
Participating with other associations on legal and
political issues affecting the membership and profession;
Providing sound management of the Association’s
operating funds and endowment assets and ensuring that funds are properly
used to reflect present needs and future directions;
Evaluating Association programs;.
Ensuring that all official documents and records are
maintained and accessible; and
Overseeing responsibility for the Association’s
building, equipment, and other property.
Required
Qualifications: Demonstrated leadership and management experience,
knowledge of the information industry, excellent written and oral communication
skills, entrepreneurial orientation, demonstrated understanding of emerging
and established technologies and their applications to information access
and delivery, and demonstrated understanding of the work of the
information professions.
Desired
Qualifications: MBA or MPA and/or Masters degree in library
and/or information science or related field; experience in managing a
special library or corporate information organization; ASAE Certification,
and experience with change management.
Back to Table of Contents
Other News of Note:
NCLIS proposes new federal government agency
to combine/replace NTIS and the federal depository library program.
http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.html.
Bright Planet has authored a paper describing the “deep Web”,
the reservoir of content found in databases accessible via the Web. The
white paper is available at http://www.completeplanet.com/Tutorials/DeepWeb/index.asp.
New books in library science:
Communicating Knowledge Publishing in the 21st Century
Concise Dictionary of Library & Information Science
Countdown to a New Library
Developing & Managing E-Journal Collections A How-to-Do-It
Manual for Librarians
The Economics of Information A Guide to Economic &
Cost-Benefit Analysis for Information Professionals
Identifying & Analyzing User Needs A Complete Handbook
& Ready-to-Use Assessment Workbook
The Library Meeting Survival Manual
Making the Case for Your Library A How-to-Do-It Manual
Marketing Information Products & Services A Primer
for Librarians & Information Professionals
Preserving Digital Information
Preservation: Issues and Planning
The Whole Library Handbook 3: Current Data,
Professional Advice & Curiosa about Libraries & Library Services.
Wynar's Introduction to Cataloging &
Classification. 9th ed.
Back
to Table of Contents
Send
comments, corrections, and submissions to PER Bulletin editor Linda Musser
105 Deike Building, University Park PA,
16802; Lrm4@psu.edu.
PER DIVISION
