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Who is a typical NetLibrary user?
Research, academic, public, school and state government libraries and their patrons. Patrons
are defined as users of Minitex participating libraries who can access NetLibrary materials
from IP authenticated systems within the library, or with a user ID and password from a
computer outside of the library, or from a referring URL as in the Minitex eBook Collection
Web page.
What is an eBook?
The term eBook applies to published materials such as reference books, textbooks and research
materials that have been converted into digital format for electronic distribution. eBooks
supplement print collections in libraries and provide for remote access to the contents of
thousands of books. For example, eBooks can be delivered to patrons in remote locations
immediately, without the need to spend time and money delivering books from library to
library, campus to campus.
Why would anyone want to read a book on a computer screen?
In general, people will not read a book from cover to cover on a computer screen. By focusing
on reference, scholarly, technical and professional publications, NetLibrary turns books into
compelling electronic resources. Patrons can use these resources as powerful research and
reference tools, and take advantage of the high-speed browsing/previewing potential the medium
offers.
Can these eBooks be downloaded to my computer?
Currently, NetLibrary eBooks are read via an Internet browser like Internet Explorer or Firefox.
eBooks from NetLibrary cannot be downloaded to Microsoft and/or Adobe Acrobat reader software
that may be installed on your computer. Also, eBooks from NetLibrary cannot be downloaded to
reader devices or the various handheld computers. NetLibrary is talking with both publishers
and manufacturers to become a content provider for developers of these and other portable readers.
What types of eBooks are available?
The NetLibrary collection consists of a broad range of reference, scholarly, popular and
professional works from some of the world's top university and commercial presses. As new
titles are added to the shared collection, announcements are sent out on electronic lists
in the region.
How are checkout periods determined?
Minitex has established a checkout period of four hours. Due to requests from several libraries
and a subsequent poll of Minitex NetLibrary users, we have changed the checkout period for all
Minitex NetLibrary books to four hours. Since NetLibrary eBooks are viewed on average 10-15
minutes at a time, we anticipate that setting the checkout period at a shorter interval will
make the collection even more accessible.
Users can always browse a book without checking it out. Checkout is useful if you wish to ensure
your access for a period of time as long as four hours. The publicly accessible eBooks (3,405
titles) have unlimited access and never need to be checked out.
Can I put a reserve on an eBook title?
No. At this time NetLibrary does not have a provision for placing reserves on a title that is
being used by someone else.
Can the public domain titles be checked out?
The public domain titles are not copyrighted and NetLibrary does not treat these in the same way
as copyrighted titles. Public domain titles are either books that are no longer copyrighted
because the copyright has expired, or books published to be in the public domain such as some
of the titles published by the University of Virginia.
However, an important piece of information for libraries: the usage of these titles is not
captured in the usage statistics of the Library Resource Center.
How will I know what my patrons are viewing?
NetLibrary provides libraries with volumes of aggregate usage data—information that is
simply not available from traditional circulation reports. This data, found in the NetLibrary
Library Resource Center, can help libraries adjust collection development decisions for both
electronic and paper titles.
However, NetLibrary deletes the link between a viewer's account and what the librarian is
viewing so that the user's privacy is protected. NetLibrary has a privacy statement available
on its Web site.
How does NetLibrary protect publishers' copyrights?
NetLibrary's technology permits only one person at a time to view a copy of a given
copyrighted eBook. Patrons are limited in their ability to print or copy the eBook to one
page of information at a time.
What is a shared collection and why would a library buy into a shared collection?
A shared collection allows members to combine contributions into a fund capable of purchasing
a collection much larger than would be possible acting alone. Each member's patrons have equal
access to books in the collection.
What are some of the special collections in Minitex Shared eBook Collection I?
1,981 titles purchased by Metronet ($63,665.63)
A group of public and school librarians selected the titles deemed most useful for their
patrons. A broad, practical collection, the titles are designed for both kids and adults to
use as an expanded reference. The collection addresses areas of popular interest and demand,
such as computer how-to, reference, travel and personal finance. The juvenile collections
include reference, careers and social studies content. Notable publishers represented include
Houghton-Mifflin, CliffsNotes and ABC-CLIO, as well as Alpha, Sams and Que.
645 Life Questions Collection titles purchased by Metronet with an LSTA grant from LDS
($18,853)
NetLibrary's Life Questions Collection includes titles designed to provide answers to patrons
with questions on self-help, wellness and other lifestyle topics. The collection consists of
two sub-collections: "Answers for Kids, Adults and Families Collection" and "Health and Wellness
Collection." Topics include consumer health, diet and nutrition, care-giving, children and young
adults, parenting and family resources, and personal growth.
634 Business School Collection titles purchased by National American University, South Dakota
($25,000)
National American University participated in a trial of this collection and decided to purchase
it and make it available as part of the Minitex shared collection. NetLibrary's Business School
Collection is a strong mix of theoretical, practical, applied and general interest titles created
by academic librarians especially to support a business school curriculum. It is comprised of
current books on e-commerce, global economics, entrepreneurship, teams, leadership and marketing.
The collection includes works from such leading business and economics scholars as John Kenneth
Galbraith, Don Tapscott, Robert Solow, Dan Schiller, Jack Welch and Peter Drucker, and titles
from key business publishers such as Harvard Business School Press, Jossey-Bass, Nicholas Braeley,
Berrett Koehler, Oxford University Press and John Wiley & Sons.
172 titles purchased by the South Dakota State Library ($10,000 LSTA funds)
Titles were chosen by public and academic librarians and do not duplicate the others in the
Minitex shared collection. Selections were based on user requests, a review of titles requested
by institutions participating in the shared collection and interest in purchasing selected
reference titles. Several "The Complete Idiot's Guide to..." titles are included, along with
publications from Nolo.Com, which Newsweek called "The nation's premier publisher of
do-it-yourself law."
How does NetLibrary help you select titles from the NetLibrary eBook Collection?
What kind of collection development tools does OCLC NetLibrary make available?
NetLibrary has developed a collection development tool called TitleSelect™. This is an
interactive resource that helps people select titles, create title lists and order eBooks from
NetLibrary. It also features promotional materials for academic, public and corporate libraries.
How do I learn more?
For more information about NetLibrary, eBooks and the title list, visit the NetLibrary Web site
or contact Rita Baladad at 612-626-8252 / balad001@umn.edu.