An overview of the e-book marketplace

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the e-book marketplace players and their services against a context in which e-books are becoming an increasingly significant category of digital resource. Design/methodology/approach-The paper starts with a brief overview of the literature on the global e-book market and e-book business models offered by vendors to libraries. Analysis of the web sites of nine e-book publishers and 11 e-book aggregators was used as a basis for profiling the main features of e-books (user-oriented features and librarian-oriented features) and the services offered by e-book publishers and e-book aggregators. Key points from these profiles are discussed, and conclusions and recommendations for the future of the e-book marketplace are offered. Findings-The e-book market is under constant change and it is important to monitor its development, not just at national but also at international level. Currently, the majority of e-book vendors market to libraries-typically academic libraries, and publishers are increasingly using e-aggregators to distribute their titles. Collections of e-books are expanding gradually and there is evidence of increasing uptake. Current e-book business models are complex and range considerably. Practical implications-This development of the availability of e-books could have significant implications for the future role of libraries and for library strategies, policies and processes. Originality/value-The paper draws attention to the potential of the future importance of e-books and profiles the uptake of the e-book marketplace in terms of main players and their services.