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In March, the Z. Smith Reynolds Library launched an exciting e-book pilot project by adding over 40,000 e-books to the catalog in a single stroke. By comparison, ZSR bought 17,700 print books in all of fiscal year 2010. Even more e-books will arrive regularly.

You can read these recent, academic imprints with almost any device that includes an Internet browser: desktop computer, ThinkPad, iPad™, and some types of smartphones and e-readers. (Try the Bluefire app if you use Apple® iOS products.) Multiple people can access the same e-book at the same time.

With this program, the library only pays for what is used. The library pays a small rental fee for the first five uses of an e-book. Higher-use books are purchased for permanent addition to the library collection. The library covers all costs, and readers typically cannot distinguish between rental and purchased e-books. Overall, this arrangement allows the library to make many more books available while keeping within budget. The rental fees do not apply to the purchase cost, so let your liaison know in advance if you plan to assign an e-book for a course. ZSR can also provide direct linking either through the Course Reserves interface, via Sakai, or in a Research Guide.

Try out these e-books:

Contact your library liaison for help with linking or for more information about e-books.