about E-Books Task Force

about the E-Books Task Force

task force charge

Reporting jointly to the Public Services and Collections committees of the University Libraries, the E-Books Task Force will review existing and potential e-book packages for subscription by the University Libraries, and recommend changes or additions to the University Libraries’ suite of products to the committees and relevant subject selectors. The Task Force will also design, implement and evaluate e-book pilot projects in the University Libraries.

Tasks:

Maintain an ongoing awareness of E-Book vendors and platforms and/or individual titles available to the academic market. Create and maintain an updated, prioritized list of recommendations for purchase, change and/or cancellation, including cost information whenever available.
Using relevant evaluative criteria, investigate, test and assess major E-Book packages, including arranging trial subscriptions, overseeing pilot projects and obtaining feedback from users and staff. Major packages include but are not limited to: MyiLibrary, Netlibrary, Ebrary and Ebook Library. Report on and continue to make such evaluations readily available to the University Libraries (by posting reports to the staffWEB, UBLIB-L and other venues as appropriate) and especially to University Libraries’ subject selectors
Provide evaluations of e-book pilot projects to the Collections and Public Services committees.
Evaluate e-book readers and appliances and explore their implications for library services and collections.
Guide selectors as appropriate in purchasing e-book titles for existing platforms as necessary (i.e. Gale Virtual Reference Library) with the understanding that such single title purchases have the power to make the platform/s more robust.
Examine existing policies and procedures related to electronic products and work to insert e-book policies, procedures or guidelines as appropriate.1
Work with other individuals and groups to prepare marketing materials for major e-book packages purchased by the University Libraries.

resources and related groups:

E-Books Task Force website
E-Reference Packages Task Force website
Electronic Periodicals Management Department
¹ Collections Policies & Procedures Task Force, a sub-group of the Collections Committee.
Database Usage Statistics: Y://UserStats
Information and documentation from publishers and peers
Ben Wagner article, “Take the E-Only Test,” Library Journal, November 15, 2005
Web Usability Task Force
eBooks – Costs and Benefits to Academic Libraries [PDF]

members

View current membership roster here.

Content provider: C. D'Aniello
Comments: lib-staffweb@buffalo.edu
Last update: 21 October, 2008