User response to the introduction of e-books and e-audio in an Australian public library network

E-books have yet to find a firm place in public libraries generally. In Australia a number of small scale pilot services have been introduced with varying results. One major Australian public library network, the ACTPLS, has recently introduced a collection of nearly 2,000 e-books and e-audio, accessible to users via the Web. This paper reports on the implementation of this service and the response of users after three months of operation. Generally, there has been a slow take-up of the service but no promotion or marketing effort has yet been made. Findings include a strong preference for e-audio materials, concerns over the chaptering of material and some hardware and software limitations.