Virtual books - reading in the real world
Some readers may think there’s no substitute for real paper pages and a proper cover. Others, however, may want to take advantage of a new Warwickshire County Council service offering ‘e-books’ for free loan to library members.
E-books, sometimes called ‘digital books’, can be downloaded via the internet for use on computers, special electronic hand-held ‘reader’ devices - and even on some mobile phones.
Warwickshire Library & Information Service is running a free 12-month e-books trial, with hundreds of downloadable titles to choose from, including audio or ‘talking’ e-books.
“E-books are all about instant, easy access to books in today’s 24/7 on-demand world,” said Andrew Button, Virtual Access Manager. “Reading on screen won’t suit everyone but some will love it. Many people nowadays, particularly at work, spend more time reading on computers than on paper. So offering leisure reading online is logically the next step for libraries.”
Andrew said e-books might be a more convenient option for many people - and greener, too. “They are still real books, you just don’t need a bookcase to keep them in, and they never get dog-eared,” he said. Andrew added that e-borrowers won’t have to worry about returning their virtual books, or paying fines for being late. Loans will be recalled automatically after three weeks.
Downloading readers will be able to choose from a wide range of fiction and non-fiction, including best-selling authors, biographies and hobby-related e-books. Virtual stock will be updated regularly, with new titles replacing any that have not beenborrowed.
Cllr Colin Hayfield, Portfolio-holder for Customers, Workforce and Partnerships, said: “This does not signal the end of the printed book - far from it. E-books are not a replacement, just another option for our customers. Use of online library services has doubled in recent years and continues to grow. So we are confident the free trial e-book service will prove popular.”
Here’s what you need to know if you want to give e-books a go:
To access Warwickshire County Council’s free trial e-book service, first you will need a library card. Adults and children can join for free at any one of the county’s 34 libraries, or apply online at: warwickshire.gov.uk/libraries
The Warwickshire Libraries homepage (as above) has a link to the free e-book service.
E-books can be borrowed for up to three weeks with an automatic electronic recall at the end of the loan period.
Borrowers will have the option to renew online if they haven’t finished reading their e-book, as long as no-one else has reserved the title.
E-book reservations, as well as loans, will be free during the 12-month trial.
E-book downloads will work on most modern computers using Windows XP or later operating systems - on imacs, some mobile phones, and electronic ‘reader’ devices. File formats are as follows: ePub and PDF for e-books and WMA, MP3 for audio e-books.
Enjoy.