The benefits of e-books in academic libraries, most notably unnecessary physical storage and greenhouse gas reductions, cannot be overlooked. What’s more, e-book functionality provides users with 24-hour remote access, the ability to annotate and search full text, as well as some accessibility tools unavailable through print. Though e-books have many benefits to libraries, there is still some resistance to them. Attitudinal barriers are not the only issue associated with e-book usage in academic libraries. The literature reveals that many users are unaware that their libraries provide e-books or do not know how to find them. The literature also states that users may have misconceptions about e-books and/or may not understand how to exploit them effectively. It is not enough to acquire e-books if users cannot find them or are resistant to using them. Suggestions that users may benefit from more detailed instruction that will enable them to effectively find e-books, understand their access options, and exploit the platform functionality are frequently encountered in the LIS literature. This poster presentation will provide a summary of the most recent literature on e-book attitudes, and usage to illustrate the current perceptions and status of the format among academic library users. By starting with the literature, I will be better positioned to explain why I believe e-book literacy is an effective tool in combating possible resistance and lack of knowledge and ability in using e-books. It is also my intention to share our experiences providing e-book training to campus members. I will provide examples of the methods of instruction we have made available at our institution, including face-to face class visits; a face-to-face faculty workshop; vendor specific e-book libguides; and institutionally customized video tutorials.
