The 21st century library is an exciting place with the influx of new digital media. How to select and acquire these E-books is a complex issue for most library staff.

Most books are going to be available in digital form. They can be acquired and managed in a variety of ways.

Subscription: Buy access to a large number of e-books for a set amount of time.

+  The large number of books at a low cost.

–  The lack of input by the TL on the selection of the books.

–  Annual renewal costs.

Perpetual ownership: Pay up front for ongoing access to content.

+ The resources are owned by the library.

– The price per resource is higher than a print copy.

–  Charged a maintenance fee by aggregator.

Pay-per-view: Pay for the content used.

+ Only pay for what is being used.

+ Cost effective.

–  Ongoing fees.

After selecting a way to acquire the e-books, the aggregator has different ways to supply the product.

• Approval plan: This is similar to a standing order. The supply of e-books to the library and the rejection of unwanted tiltes.
• Firm order: Select a tilte or a number of tiltles to purchase.
• Patron – driven selection: The e-books are available for use and only acquired by the library after a set number of visit.
• Pay – per- view: The resource is only charged for if used.

Access for the users will be another issue to consider. Is the content available only at school? Or can the students access the resources from home? A policy regarding the use and access to the digital resources is necessary.