eBooks are Coming to the Jefferson County Library

The Jefferson County Library (JCL), including the in High Ridge,  will begin loaning eBooks and eAudiobooks on June 1 when JCL joins the MissouriLibraries2Go Consortium: http://www.molib2go.org. 

“Jefferson County Library has joined other small and mid-sized Missouri libraries in the MOLIB2GO Consortium to provide our patrons with free access to eBooks and eAudiobooks,” said JCL director Pam Klipsch, in a news release.  “MOLIB2GO has a group contract with the Overdrive subscription service,” This cost-sharing model is the most effective way we’ve found to provide this new service our patrons have been clamoring for.” 

Klipsch acknowledged that some major publishers are still refusing to license their eBooks for loan by libraries.

“We hope that public demand will change their minds. After all, many best selling authors got their start when readers discovered their books at the public library.”

As part of the effort to change the publishers’ minds, Jefferson County Library is joining an online public petition campaign initiated by the Topeka-Shawnee County KS Public Library, at http://ebooksforlibraries.com . Gina Millsap, CEO of Topeka-Shawnee County, says the intent is “to educate readers and library users about the current eBook market and how libraries may currently purchase eBooks, and to establish a way for readers, who are also library users, to become familiar with and to give feedback to publishers.  Since most readers don't read by publisher brand ("I want everything you have published by Random House." isn't something we typically hear), we think this could be a good thing for publishers and libraries.”

Klipsch said she hopes the campaign will remind publishers that their best customers --- people who are buying lots of eBooks --- are the same people who borrow lots of books from the library, and want to be able to borrow eBooks too.

“Limiting libraries’ ability to provide eBooks to meet that demand means that authors and publishers ultimately will lose exposure in that key market segment,” Klipsch said. “That’s not good for them or us.” 

MOLIB2GO offers best-selling and classic eAudiobooks and eBooks available online through the library website 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Library patrons can browse the collection, check out with their library card number, and download the content to PC, Mac, and most mobile devices/eReaders (including Kindles).

Device compatibility information will be available through a link from the JCL website (www.jeffersoncountylibrary.org) and also can be found in the Getting Started section of the MOLIB2GO website.

Content will expire and automatically disappear from the patron’s eReading device at the end of the lending period. There are no late fees.  With hundreds of popular fiction and non-fiction titles to choose from, the MOLIB2GO collection is guaranteed to have something for everyone. Patrons can download best-sellers, classics, self-improvement guides, and much more.

Visit the Jefferson County Library website: www.jeffersoncountylibrary.org for more detailed information.

The library plans to offer classes on how to download eBooks soon.  “There are a variety of eReader devices and each one is just a tiny bit different.  eBooks are a new technology that changes constantly,” said Meredith McCarthy, JCL’s MOLIB2GO co-ordinator and manager of the Arnold Branch.  She noted that Jefferson College also offers free eBooks classes to county residents through its Continuing Education Department. 

Visit www.jeffco.edu or call 636-797-3000 x3144 for more information.