North Carolina Public Librarians' Opinions Regarding Electronic Texts

Electronic books are gradually becoming essential resources in many library collections. While they have a number of advantages over traditional "analog" texts, there are still several issues of concern that both librarians and library patrons have regarding electronic books. A survey was taken of public librarians from 20 public library systems throughout North Carolina who were asked to share their opinions of electronic texts in the public library setting, along with their opinions concerning ebooks in general. The responses reveal a generally positive view of electronic texts as well as a positive view of their future in public libraries. Reasons why librarians enjoy the ebook format include their portability and potential interactivity; some reasons why some librarians dislike the ebook format are their expense and their difficulty of use