[13125] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: netLibrary
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Anthony Adam)
Tue Mar 7 20:10:06 2000
Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 20:03:19 -0600
From: Anthony Adam <AADAM@COLEMAN.PVAM.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <38C02271.73BD91D3@dayton.lib.oh.us>
To: PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@LISTSERV.UH.EDU>
Message-Id: <200003070204.UAA27888@mail.tamu.edu>
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I've gone through two separate demos of netLibrary, with mixed
thoughts. The selection has improved greatly with the addition of
new publishers, although much of the "Free eBooks" collection is
grabbed from Project Gutenberg and other readily-available services
(and you don't need to login to PG, Bartleby, etc.!).
My biggest complaints focus on availability and printing. Unless
the set-up has changed in the past few months, only a single user
at a time can "check out" a book. I understand the netLibrary reps
have tried to negotiate a looser arrangement with the publishers,
but for now there's no overwhelming improvement on the access
issue over paper.
Also, unless things have changed, printing is irritating. The user
can print a page or section at a time, but it's impossible to print the
entire book (of course, we know all about copyright restrictions,
etc., but our patrons just want a whole copy of the book right away).
The great benefit of netLibrary in my mind would be to provide
libraries with a good collection of "short shelve life" books--
technical manuals, business guides, etc. Anything that will date
rapidly and need replacing. Leave the public domain works to PG
& Co. and focus on new works.
Tony Adam
Coleman Library
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, TX 77446
anthony-adam@tamu.edu
fax 936-857-2755
If we see light at the end of the tunnel/ It's the light of the oncoming train. -- Robert Lowell, "Since 1939"
