New "eBooks-in-Print" Service

In early August, OverDrive, Inc. launched a new free "eBooks-in-Print" service, called eBook Locator (http://www.ebooklocator.com). According to the press release, the eBook Locator provides information on "tens of thousands of eBooks from over 400 publishers worldwide." The Locator contains titles in the Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader, Microsoft Reader and Palm eBook formats. Searches can be made on several fields, including title, author/creator, subject, keyword and publisher. The results include basic information about the title, description, reviews and excerpts, as well as links to retailers. Moreover, DRM information is included, such as the following for Don Tapscott's Growing Up Digital in Adobe format:

Copying not allowed
Copy 0 selections every unlimited days
Printing allowed
Print unlimited pages every unlimited days
Lending allowed
Reading aloud allowed
Book never expires

The eBook Locator is a useful tool for librarians who are struggling to answer questions from patrons about what is and is not available in which ebook format.