EBook readers were designed for individual users, not libraries and their patrons.  As a result, we encountered several challenges in trying to integrate ebooks into our field test libraries.

Credit Cards- eBooks are steeped in the world of e-commerce, the currency of which is the credit card.  Without a credit card it is very difficult to purchase ebook devices and almost impossible to purchase ebooks.  Although most people own a credit card, not all public institutions, such as a library, have use of a credit card. Update: Barnes & Noble now supports the creation of institutional purchase orders. However, you may need to set up a separate account for each device.

Non-transferable eBooks- When an ebook is purchased, it is purchased for use on a single, unique device.  An ebook cannot be transferred to another device.  If a library owns more than one reader, it must keep track of which titles are available on which devices.  When a patron puts a hold on an ebook title, he/she is in essence placing a hold on a specific device and all of the other titles loaded onto it.

Cataloging- It is quite difficult to catalog on ebook. Although each of the ebook titles can be cataloged individually, how do you indicate the relationship that the ebooks have to one another and the device. For instance, suppose you purchase 50 ebook titles all encrypted for a single device. If a patron checks out the device, loaded with 20 ebook titles on it, then there are 30 ebook titles that are in-house, but unavailable because without the device, they cannot be read.

Sales Tax- Internet purchases are not assessed sales tax unless the purchaser resides in the same state as the purchasee.  All of our field test libraries were located in New York as is Barnes & Noble (1 of only 2 distributors of Rocket eBook & Gemstar content).  Every ebook purchase from barnesandnobles.com must be followed up with a phone call or email declaring our tax-exempt status.
Solution:  purchase your ebooks from Powells Bookstore.

Digital Phone Lines- eBooks are downloaded onto the SoftBook Readers over the phone lines.  However, these phone lines must be analog.  The SoftBook Readers do not work on the digital phone lines that have been installed in many schools, universities and libraries. Update: The new REB1100 & REB1200 only work on analog phone lines as well. However, the REB1100 can also obtain content via a USB port and the REB1200 can obtain content via ethernet connection.

Unique Registration- Each Rocket eBook Reader must be registered with a unique combination of name and e-mail address.  This can be difficult for a single library that is registering several readers.  For our project, we have had to come up with creative names, such as (firstname: Rocket) and (lastname: One).  In one instance, a librarian used every alternate spelling for her first name.

Proxy Servers- If a library's local area network is using a proxy server, the RocketLibrary (software for the Rocket eBook Reader) must be specially configured with the library's proxy server information. Click here for details on the proxy server work-around.

Matching Reader to eBook Order- When an ebook purchase is made from barnesandnobles.com, B&N tries to match your billing information with the device registration information on file at NuvoMedia (makers of the Rocket eBook Reader).  Since an ebook can only be used by a single ebook reader, this is B&N's way of determining which reader is making the purchase.  If B&N cannot make an exact match, it will not allow the purchase.  Because our project is working with 19 readers, many of which have very similar registration information, B&N has sometimes encrypted ebooks for the incorrect readers.  Solution: purchase your ebooks from Powells Bookstore.  Powells does not try to match billing and registration information.  Rather, they simply ask for your reader's unique serial number (which is provided when you register your reader).

Patrons want to use their own devices- According to patrons, the ideal ebook system would allow them to checkout the library's ebook titles onto their own personal devices. The current encryption system of ebooks does not make this possible.