going digital: the challenges of ebooks in law libraries

Going Digital:The Challenges of e-Books in Law Libraries

LLAGNY Education ProgramJanuary 24, 2013

Bess ReynoldsTechnical Services ManagerDebevoise & Plimpton LLP

Presented by Bess Reynolds

What is an e-Book?

e-book, n.Pronunciation:  Brit. /ˈiːbʊk/ , U.S. /ˈiˌbʊk/ Forms:  19– E-book, 19– e-book, 19– eBook, 19– ebook. Etymology:  < e- comb. form+ book n.

    A hand-held electronic device on which the text of a book can

be read. Also: a book whose text is available in an electronic format for reading on such a device or on a computer screen; (occas.) a book whose text is available only or primarily on the Internet.

Source: Oxford English Dictionary online

Presented by Bess Reynolds

•One book

•One device

•One reader

Original e-Book Model

Presented by Bess Reynolds

An e-Book

Presented by Bess Reynolds

And the Loose-leaf

Presented by Bess Reynolds

E-Books with DRM

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Just the Facts*

Of 85 law firm libraries:

– 10 are currently providing e-books (12%)

– 17 plan to purchase e-books within the next year (21%)

– 32 have tested e-books from legal publishers (38%)

– 23 know of lawyers using legal e-books (27%)

*Based on a survey of law firm librarians conducted in June 2012

Presented by Bess Reynolds

IN CASE YOU MISSED THAT:

Law firm libraries currently providing e-books to lawyers

Yes

No

Other

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Survey of Law Firms

Size of Participating Law Firms

0

10

20

30

40

50

Less than 200lawyers

200 – 499 lawyers

500 –  999lawyers

1,000 or morelawyers

Presented by Bess Reynolds

SURVEY DETAILS

More survey results can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/bpo5pqa

• Survey was conducted from June 10 – 29, 2012

• Librarians from 86 firms and one private law library in another business responded

• Some librarians did not answer all questions• 2 respondents did not give names

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Three Vendors

• Lexis Nexis– Purchase from the Lexis store or– Contract with Overdrive

• Thomson West– 7 steps to use Proview proprietary platform

• Wolters Kluwer– WK eReader is still under construction

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Lexis Digital Library

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Lexis e-Book

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Lexis and OverDrive

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Thomson Proview Platform

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Thomson Proview Sample Title

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Technical Services may be ready

Presented by Bess Reynolds

DESK BOOKS

26 Titles >

1,100 Copies >

2,100 Volumes!

(Every year)

Presented by Bess Reynolds

But are the Lawyers Ready?

• Pros:– Currency– Portability– Full text searching, bookmarks, links to

additional content• Cons:

– Cost– Licensing– Privacy– Proprietary platforms– Work habits

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Cartoon by Bess Reynolds

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Just in Time Not Just in Case

• Access not ownership

• Partnering with New York Law Institute to provide seamless access to an enhanced collection including 40,000+ e-books

Presented by Bess Reynolds

NYLI Integration = 1 Search Silo

Presented by Bess Reynolds

E-books Integrated in the OPAC

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Librarian Manifesto

• Libraries should own the e-books they purchase• Vendors should recognize the role that librarians play

in collection development, acquisitions & distribution• Vendors should work to simplify the procedures for

obtaining and managing e-books• Legal publishers should work with ILS vendors to

make the e-books available directly in the OPAC, eliminating the need for multiple silos of discovery

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Selected Resources

• “An open letter about ebooks and Douglas County Libraries.” Douglas County Libraries. Web. 24 Jan. 2013 <http://douglascountylibraries.org/content/ebooks-and-DCL>

• Comparison of e-book formats. Wikipedia. Web accessed 1/24/2013: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_e-book_formats>

• Kelly, Michael. "Top Ebook Distributors, ILS Vendors to Have Sitdown With ReadersFirst Library Coalition." The Digital Shift. 3 Jan 2013. The Library Journal. 24 Jan 2013. <http://tinyurl.com/b94nvuv>.

• Reynolds, Bess. “The Challenges of e-books in Law Firm Libraries.” The New Librarian, AALL-ILTA White Paper: <http://read.uberflip.com/i/87421/64 >

• Various articles about Douglas County Libraries. Evoke. 24 Jan. 2013. <http://evoke.cvlsites.org/>

Presented by Bess Reynolds

Thank You

Contact me:breynolds@debevoise.com

Follow me on Twitter:@bibliobess

(Personal tweets, my opinions, not related to my POW)