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This article is the result of a 2009 survey of student usage of e-books at Royal Roads University (RRU) Library. The authors found that the proportion of students using RRU Library e-books has gone up since a similar 2003 survey, although only just above half of students are using RRU Library e-books. An almost identical number of student respondents (approximately 54%) said 'no' to preferring a print version of the book over the e-book version of the book in both the 2003 and 2009 surveys. The majority of students rated the ability to download an e-book to a hand-held device as not important. There has been a notable increase in the use of e-books for course readings from 2003 to 2009. A lack of awareness of RRU Library e-books remains the top reason cited by students for not using them. KEYWORDS academic libraries, distance learning, e-books, user survey DOI: 10.1080/01930826.2010.488600

The number of electronic books (e-books) that are available is increasing rapidly. Libraries are acquiring them individually, in large groups, and as part of collections. Off-campus librarians perceive them to be the best solution to the problems and expenses related to loaning and shipping print books to off-campus students. This study looks at the usage of e-books by off-campus students at Central Michigan University (CMU) to see if usage patterns can assist librarians with e-book collection development to support off-campus programs. KEYWORDS. Electronic books, e-book usage patterns, collection development, off-campus programs

A virtual shelf for nursing that closely mirrors what previously was found on a physical reference shelf is now a reasonable goal. Advantages of doing this for nursing students and faculty in an academic setting are enumerated. Overviews of relevant vendor and publisher interfaces and models are included. The authors present a selected list of appropriate electronic reference sources that demonstrate how e-books and Internet sites can be combined to build a virtual reference shelf in this subject area. KEYWORDS. Virtual reference shelf, subject guides, nursing reference, e-books, electronic books, bibliography, Webliography, Internet sites

This article reviews a sampling of free and proprietary college and career resources, available via the Internet. Sites reviewed provide comprehensive information on a variety of colleges and careers and address a number of related college/career guidance issues and special topics. Selected test preparation sites are also reviewed. Sites and resources included are suitable for any college and careers collection and useful to subject selectors and reference librarians. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: Website: KEYWORDS. College guides, career guides, test preparation, Internet resources

Royal Roads University library, in implementing the institution's distributed learning model, purchased its first eBook collection in April 2000. Now, three years into subscription commitments and active development of an eBooks collection, the library conducts a study to determine: Who is accessing the collection ? For what purposes is it being used? Is the collection adequate to meet the academic program needs? Is there a preference for the open access model over single user access? How does the learning community find reading on screen versus print? In short, is an eBook collection a vital resource for distributed learning? This paper focuses on the discoveries made through a quantitative and qualitative research study. KEYWORDS. Library resources, Internet, study

This article is a transcript of a lecture presented at the 2002 University of Oklahoma Libraries annual conference. The author uses metaphors to describe the process of locating information available via electronic sources, the role of the library in the electronic age, and the potential impact of electronic books upon libraries.

This article is a transcript of a lecture presented at the 2002 University of Oklahoma Libraries annual conference. The scope of the lecture was electronic resources and electronic development for the industry.

This article is a transcript of a lecture presented at the 2002 University of Oklahoma Libraries annual conference. The author describes various efforts and activities within library science at better integrating electronic services within the library, including: collection development, electronic books, and digital and preservation resources.