Books in a virtual world: The evolution of the e-book and its lexicon

Armstrong, Chris J Books in a virtual world: The evolution of the e-book and its lexicon., 2008 [Preprint]

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English abstract

Over recent years there has been considerable confusion over the use of the term ‘e-book’, and this article examines the variety of definitions used to date while proposing a definitive construct. Beginning by examining the definitions of ‘book’, the paper moves on to consider the essential element of a book – the content, and to examine publishing and structural aspects of e-books, as well as their place in libraries, before arriving at a final definition. The definition and its derivation embrace all of the issues that affect the way in which e-books are understood and used today. In conclusion, the article looks at both the genesis of e-books, and the stage of acceptance and adoption that they have reached, with brief reference to 3rd-generation e-book readers available at the time of writing.

Item type: Preprint
Keywords: e-books, e-resources, library collections, definitions
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BZ. None of these, but in this section.
H. Information sources, supports, channels. > HO. e-books.
Depositing user: Chris Armstrong
Date deposited: 08 Sep 2008
Last modified: 02 Oct 2014 12:12
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/12277

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