The library world has been talking about e-books and how they might affect libraries for several years. The problem is that this conversation has almost always been skewed toward public library use of e-books. Other types of libraries, particularly special libraries, have generally been left out of the discussion. Unlike in many public libraries, the motivations for developing special library collections include not only access but also preservation and building a complete collection. The current database model of e-book lending and the copyright issues surrounding e-books do not bode well for the special library model. This session will explore these issues with a panel of special librarians and a member of the publishing industry, who will discuss what the needs are and what can be done to address them.
