Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Libraries lending e-books

The newest books in the New York Public Library don’t take up any shelf space. They’re electronic books — 3,000 titles’ worth — and the library’s 1.8 million cardholders can point and click through the collection, choosing from among best-sellers, nonfiction, romance novels and self-help guides. Patrons borrow them for set periods, downloading them for reading on a computer, a hand-held organizer or other device using free reader software. When they’re due, the files are automatically locked out–no matter what hardware they’re on–and returned to circulation, eliminating late fees.

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