E-books and new library service models: An analysis of the impact of E-book technology on academic libraries

This article will analyze the implications of e-book technology on academic libraries. Although eve are at a very early stage of e-book evolution, bus iness models, standards, and supporting technology are under development th at will dramatically affect libraries and librarians. Librarians and admini strators therefore must understand thoroughly these trends in order to appl y effectively the resulting innovations within their institutions. As Martr ell states, " . . . librarians must begin to design an imaginative, easily identifiable space in cyberspace as the centrality of the library as a phys ical phenomenon slowly fade."(1) Improving library service by extrapolation from existing services, doing the same things faster and better, will prov ide incremental improvements but will not move us quickly to that "identifi able space" of which Martrell writes.