Dispelling five myths about E-books

Abstract

Some considered 2000 the year of the e-book, and due to the dot-com bust, that could have been the format's high-water mark. However, the first quarter of 2004 saw the greatest number of e-book purchases ever with more than $3 million in sales. A 2002 consumer survey found that 67 percent of respondents wanted to read e-books; 62 percent wanted access to e-books through a library. Unfortunately, the large amount of information written on e-books has begun to develop myths around their use, functionality, and cost. The author suggests that these myths may interfere with the role of libraries in helping to determine the future of the medium and access to it. Rather than fixate on the pros and cons of current versions of e-book technology, it is important for librarians to stay engaged and help clarify the role of digital documents in the modern library.