eBooks in libraries

By Michael Wiebrands 

Image via Digital Trends (source).

There has been a major shift in popular reading formats in the last three years from the paperback book to the eBook. Many people now buy from the Amazon Kindle store and the Apple iBook store. What many people may not know is that public and university libraries provide access to eBooks as well. Curtin Library itself has a catalogue of over 70,000 eBooks. As a result you no longer have to come in to the library to borrow books, you can now access books from the library wherever you are.

Academic libraries have been providing eBooks for about a decade, with them being traditionally designed for access from your computer. To truly enjoy the books though it pays to have a modern mobile device that you can read with on the couch or on public transport. There are two main types of mobile devices you can use to read books from libraries, these are tablets such as the Apple iPad and the Google Nexus 7, and dedicated eReaders such as the Kobo and Sony Reader.

Image by uncafelitoalasonce (source).

eReaders are dedicated book reading devices that use e-ink to display text. eReaders are great because they can go for over a month without a battery recharge. Unlike tablets they also work very well in direct sunlight so they’re great for when you want to travel. Unfortunately newer eReaders only work well with modern eBook formats and not so well with all library eBooks. Curtin Library has some specialist collections that you can use with eReaders. Look here for more information.

Tablets let you do much more than read books. With this added power though comes downsides with the need to recharge your device more often and reduced visibility in sunlight. On the other hand you can more easily read both modern book formats as well as more traditional formats. To find out more about how you an access Curtin Library eBooks on your tablet look here for more information.

Image by Jay L. Clendenin (source).

Over the last year I have been reading almost all my eBooks on my iPhone, although most of the books I read are fiction and easily available from eBook stores. It tends to be the device I have all the time and I tend to read lots on public transport. Library materials for phones still have a way to go but progress is being made. All the eBooks usable on eReaders (above) work on mobile phones. Also many of the general library eBooks work adequately on phones with improvements being made every day. If you’re interested in investigating library resources for your phone you might like to check out Curtin Library’s recently redeveloped mobile website at m.library.curtin.edu.au.

About the AuthorMichael Wiebrands is the manager of the Access Team in the Robertson Library. Find out more about him here

Source and Courtesy:  http://blogs.curtin.edu.au/national-year-of-reading/national-year-of-reading/ebooks-in-libraries/

Punjab Agricultural University library: Stocked with books, inspiration

LUDHIANA: Fabled as a Mecca for those appearing for competitive examinations, Punjab Agricultural University's (PAU) library boasts of a vast collection of books and journals. The library is a boon for countless students who cannot afford to pay hefty coaching fees and the results have borne fruit with many such candidates coming out with flying colours in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and other competitive examinations. 

PAU student Shalini Agnihotri, who ranked 285 in the UPSC examination, is proud of the library. "I am from a middle-class family and was dependent on the library for the preparation for UPSC examination. It is a storehouse of knowledge and for the last one year, the library has become my second home," said Agnihotri, who is from Himachal Pradesh. "Besides, you will find many like-minded people here and the spirit of competition and excelling is in the air," she added. 

For Harbhajan Singh Naghi, who cleared Punjab Civil Services (PCS) examination last month, the library is the place that oozes motivation and energy. "I can sit here for 12 hours at a stretch and study and not get tired at all. This is an amazing place, full of energy and motivation. On working days, I used to come here at 3pm and study till 11pm," said Naghi, 37, who is working as a medical officer at Samrala civil hospital. 

"I started coming here in December 2010 and even after clearing the examination, I visit frequently to read books by my favourite authors," said Naghi, who did not take any coaching for the examination. He stays near Jalandhar bypass chowk. "I stay in a two-room rented accommodation in Ghumar Mandi area. We are four siblings and it was impossible to study at night while during the day I was busy with my job." 

For many aspiring to clear various competitive examinations, the library at PAU is nothing short of a second home. 

"The library reading room and reference books proved saviour and helped me clear the probation officer test of a nationalized bank," said Rahul Aggarwal, 27, the son of an autorickshaw driver. 

Rahul, who had done BSc from PAU, got his first posting as PO in Faridkot. 

"I could not afford to pay the fees of coaching institutes so I started coming to PAU library and reading room. The staff here is very supportive. I have cleared the test for food and supplies department and now am preparing for the PCS examination," said Rajinder Khanna, 25, resident of Sarabha Nagar.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/Punjab-Agricultural-University-library-Stocked-with-books-inspiration/articleshow/13833971.cms

What is an e-book?

http://www.cec-ugc.org/LOR/abc.aspx

We are used to reading books holding it in our hands.  Books used to be printed on paper.  A number of printed pages bound in a volume used to be called a book.   E-book or electronic book is not the usual book we are talking about.  It is a book not to be held in your hands.  Any book that is electronically composed and that can be read on computer screen is called as e-book. An e-book can give us a lot more than a paper book.  Remember, our small computer or laptop can hold thousands of books and create a digital library of available information in itself. We can mark our page with an electronic bookmark and jump straight to it when we open the book.  Some e-books have built in dictionaries so we can click on a word and find out what it means.  Non-fiction books may come with extensive collections of references and footnotes. Don’t think e-book just contains only text, it may contain audio, visuals, animations, graphics including all the advantages of a computer.

Source- www.ugc.ac.in

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