The Evolution of Portable Electronic Books: Still a Work in Progress

摘要

While the electronic medium increasingly appears to be the preferred format for the journal or magazine article, the notion of the portable digital book is one that is not so easily accepted and may be considered an idea not yet ready for the marketplace. For one observing the research behavior of patrons in an academic library setting, it is certainly clear that the Web is the preferred delivery device for journal articles. Why is it then that the electronic journal is increasing in popularity while the electronic book appears to be embraced only at the margins by the most avid users of bleeding edge technologies?