E-books in the Oss Public Library Oss
The  library becomes a “digital” filling station.

The Oss Public Library has since this week its first electronic book in its collection. The Oss Public Library expects the so called e-books will in the future replace a part of the current paper collection.

An e-book is a reading device that weighs approximately 600 grams.  The weight is comparable to a normal 400 page book with the measurement of a pocketbook.  On a small screen  the user can read stories and  articles, and view pictures.  Additionally, the device can let you see the maps of cities associated with the material one is reading, as well as, graphs, animations and musical fragments.  Storing of original text is also possible.  In this manner, one can read an exciting novel by Stephen King, as well as, e-mail, drawings/graphs and notes.  The e-book is definitely in the tradition of the Oss Public Library which has always been a forerunner in the newest  digital developments.  Towards the end of 1980, The MS-DOS floppy disc became a standard part of the collection; in 1992 came the beginning of the CD-I collection; in 1993 the first CD-ROMs were loaned and in 1997 the first DVDs.  In l995, the internet was integrated into  the  automation system and employees could receive and send e-mail.  Oss was one of the first public libraries with a complete interactive collection on the internet.   For the last 2 years, there has been an “ e-zine” given out.  The slogan “The Netherlands go digital”  will in the future certainly  influence the library collection.  The loaning of books, thus, reading has indicated a declining tendency.  This is reflected throughout the country.  One of the reasons is that people today have free access to the internet.  People save less time for reading books and newspapers and CD-ROMs.

Besides the introduction of  the e-book, the library is concentrating more in the direction of on-line content.  This is principally a databank that delivers high quality  full-text  information.  The current internet offers much information, but often the quality of that information is difficult to  measure.  In the future, many reference materials such as books,  CD-ROMs and magazines will be circulated via the internet.  Some services will be free, such as the Britannica  Encyclopedia , but for other services such as the Press databank a fee will be required.   The newspaper archives and other digital information sources must be available in even the smallest library.  Admission to these digital information sources forces the libraries to make decisions such as which  part of the paper collection will be continued to be acquired  and which will they discontinue.  The “future is digital” and  therein is the genesis of the digital library.  The Oss Public Library has implemented their websites www.digibieb.nl and www.digibieb.com . Next to their own website, will the “digibieb” the future virtual building of the Oss Public Library.  Digibieb is now represented by the e-book , but in the future  will expand to a complete lending library on the internet. 

For the time being, the e-book won’t be available to borrow.  Not only because it is still not acquirable in The Netherlands, but also because of  the  purchase price which is approximately $500.00.  Members of the Oss Public Library who have their own Rocket e-book  can, for a fee, have their  e-book “ loaded “ with titles available in the digital collection.  The library becomes a digital filling station.  Those who don’t have their own e-book, can become acquainted with one of the library’s in a special “e-corner” where it can be examined and read. 

The e-books of today are just on the beginning of their life cycle.  In all probability, 10 years from   now  it will be standard for all text books  and associated notations to be compiled in a single e-book.  The vacationer will no longer be weighted down with books  because he will simply load the desired vacation  reading material in his e-book. Future reference  books and materials will never be outdated since “updates” are available over the internet.

 The internet and the e-book will create such change in  our society that the nature of the public library will also be greatly changed.

 The Oss Public Library will in a positive sense and means offer an outstanding contribution to the slogan “The Netherlands go digital”.

End News Flash

info: janw@oboss.nl