Exploring the virtual bookshelf
03 September 2009
British Library extends ‘New Ways of Reading’ display – providing dedicated space for researchers to get to grips with the latest technologies driving the digital reading revolution.
- Showcase of the Bloomsbury Library Online – a new service which allows readers to borrow e-books from their public libraries
- Three new e-reader devices on display, the COOL-ER reader and Sony’s ‘Pocket’ and ‘Touch’ Reader devices - not available in shops until 10 September
In the 15 century, the arrival of Guttenberg and his moveable type set in motion an information revolution that fundamentally shaped the course of human history. Today, with the rise of e-publishing and the mass digitisation of printed material, the book stands on the verge of a new and equally exciting transformation. As one of the World's greatest research Libraries and a leader in the UK's knowledge economy, the British Library has a vital role to play in ensuring our readers are equipped with the digital literacy skills to be able to adapt and thrive in the 21st century research environment. The Library has therefore decided to extend its ‘New Ways of Reading’ display to encourage users to investigate new reading technology from the moment it is released.
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the digital reading revolution is the availability of content. However, with the arrival of services such as the Bloomsbury Library Online, being showcased on the upper ground floor of the British Library from Thursday 3 September 2009, readers will soon be able to view electronic content at their local library and remotely via internet enabled devices. Run by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, this online service provides access to shelves of popular material by theme including Reading Groups, Teen Fiction, Shakespeare, History and Sport from its catalogues to members of participating local library services. Priced at £100 per 100,000 members of population served, each virtual book shelf allows cost effective access up to 20 titles, and will eventually provide academic and educational titles as well as popular fiction and literature.
As well as demonstrating how content is being made available, the Library has added new cutting edge hardware to its e-reader display. On Wednesday 26 August Sony launched its two latest editions to the Sony Reader family at the Library, allowing users exclusive access to these two new models, now part of the display, before they are release in the shops on September 10. Easy to navigate with a single hand and small enough to fit in your jacket pocket, the Reader Pocket Edition is ideal for commuters. The Reader Touch Edition, with its intuitive, menu-driven six-inch touchscreen panel, enables users to access material quickly, highlight information and write notes, making it a useful tool for researchers. The new models from Sony are joined by the ultra-light, user friendly COOL-ER Reader, designed by small British firm Interead. Offered in a range of colours, Interead have created a dedicated e-bookshop for the devices to make the upload process as simple as possible and bring e-readers to the non-technologically inclined masses.
A window into the future of reading, the ‘New Ways of Reading’ display invites the British Library’s researchers to have their say – tell us what you like, what you don't like, and how you feel these new devices and services will change the way we read.
Simon Bell, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Licensing at the British Library:
“With the rise of digital publishing, rights holders across the sector are searching for innovative new business models designed to meet the growing demand for e-content. Bloomsbury’s imaginative new service offers publishers a great way to commercialise e-books, but more importantly, provides users with free access to a wealth of material through their public library service.
Although the book in its physical form will remain important for so many reasons, with technology rapidly changing both the way in which researchers access and interact with content, the British Library’s ‘New Ways of Reading’ display offers users the chance to get to grips with some of the newest products and services driving the e-book revolution.”
Richard Charkin, Bloomsbury Executive Director:
“Libraries are hugely important to readers, communities and authors and are under severe financial constraints. While never forgetting the importance of books themselves, they’re also being pressured to adapt to the demands of the 21st century: bridging the digital divide, serving multicultural communities, attracting new users and reaching into homes. The Bloomsbury Library Online serves to fill that hole and will hopefully blaze a trail for similar developments in the library system.”
For more information, photo opportunities and interviews please contact Jacob Lant in the British Library Press Office on + 44 (0)20 7412 7105 or via email on jacob.lant@bl.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest research libraries. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. The Library's collection has developed over 250 years and exceeds 150 million separate items representing every age of written civilisation. It includes: books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, newspapers and sound recordings in all written and spoken languages.
Further information is available on the Library's website at www.bl.uk.