I’m producing and hosting a 4-part webinar on E-Books for the Public Library Association called “The Public Librarian’s Guide to E-Books”
Here’s the blurb from the PLA website (at http://www.ala.org/pla/onlinelearning/webinars/guidetoebooks):
E-books are here to stay, and people are turning to the library for answers as well as the latest bestsellers. Make sure you are comfortable in the world of electronics and .azw files
Register for “Public Librarian’s Guide to E-Books: A PLA Webinar Series.” This series features four weekly webinars (Oct. 25 through Nov. 15), offering a practical approach to integrating e-books, e-readers, and related e-materials into public library collections. You can register for the entire series (discounted per webinar fee), or attend individual webinars.
The tone will be down-to-earth and sensible—addressing the basics, such as why e-books and e-readers are important to libraries and providing a cookbook approach to adding e-books to collections of all sizes.
Learning Outcomes
By attending “Public Librarian’s Guide to E-Books: A PLA Webinar Series,” participants will:
- Gain a complete understanding of the nature of e-books and why they are important to add to library collections.
- Learn the ins and outs of licensing, purchasing, and lending e-books.
- Receive tips and actionable steps to add e-books and e-readers to library collections of all sizes.
- Hear strategies for creating a sustainable and scalable e-book program for their libraries.
Who Should Attend
- Public librarians who want to start or build upon an e-reader loan program and/or e-book collection at their library
- Any library staff hoping to better understand the ins and outs of this ever-growing service
Instructor(s)
Each webinar will be moderated by consultant Carson Block and filled with guest speakers and panels. You’ll hear from library directors, technologists, and e-material vendors.
Dates & Times
Each webinar in this four-part series will be presented at
- 2:00–3:00 PM Eastern
- 1:00–2:00 PM Central
- 12:00–1:00 PM Mountain
- 11:00 AM–12:00 PM Pacific
Webinar schedule
- Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Webinar One: Intro to E-BooksStarting at page one. The first webinar in the series will introduce participants to the e-book and e-reader market with a look at the devices, including the Kindle, Nook, and iPad. We will also look at market trends to show participants the foothold e-readers and e-books have in the market, and why it’s important for all libraries to have an e-book strategy. Webinar will include an e-reader vendor panel to provide information and answer questions.
- Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Webinar Two: Laying the Groundwork for a Successful E-Book CollectionThey may be filled with words, just like physical books, but e-books tell their own story when it comes to building a library collection. The second webinar will cover the particularities of licensing e-materials, and how this represents a change from buying and owning physical books to “leasing” e-book access for use by patrons. The program will also detail available options for collecting e-books–including for-pay, free, and the “library as publisher” experiment from Douglas County Libraries in Colorado. Webinar will also include an e-book/e-zine vendor panel.
- Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Webinar Three: Powering Up Your E-Book ProgramSo you’ve done all your background research. You’re ready to build your e-book program. What now? The third webinar in the series will demonstrate different approaches to add e-books and/or e-readers to library collections of all sizes. Webinar participants will see successful models that scale from a very small to very large libraries. A panel of librarians and techs who have added e-book and circulating e-reader will share their approaches and experiences.
- Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Webinar Four: Strategies for Sustaining Your Library’s E-Book ProgramThe final webinar in the series will explore strategic consideration in adding e-books, as well as project management fundamentals (shared in a down-to-earth fashion) to ensure a good start as well as a sustainable effort. Learn how to determine the total costs of an e-book or circulating e-reader program, including startup and ongoing costs; understand the risks; measure effectiveness; and more. This webinar will also share some worksheets to help libraries kick off their own e-book or e-reader program.