Amigos Launches eShelf℠ Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2015
Printable version of this press release. (pdf)

Amigos Library Services is pleased to announce the long-awaited launch of its Amigos eShelf℠ Service e-book platform as an affordable, flexible option for libraries seeking to capitalize on their patrons' growing use of electronic books and readers.

"This is a day many of us have been looking forward to for a long time, and we are most encouraged by how things are going," said e-Shelf℠ Service Manager Christine Peterson, who joked that she is almost ready to exhale. "It's the culmination of dedicated effort by many determined and hardworking folks, both Amigos staff and those librarians who comprised our committees and served as testers of the system." The response from participating libraries has truly been gratifying, Peterson noted.

The Benbrook (TX) Public Library served as an early release program tester. Adult Services Librarian Cullen Dansby noted, "We've been using the eShelf℠ Service since August 2015. I'm impressed with the ease of searching for and selecting titles on the web interface, and am satisfied with the variety of titles available, particularly on non-fiction subjects. I think this service will prove to be a strong addition to our e-book holdings."

Kristen Vogt serves as Digital Services Librarian at Western Governors University, which also participated in pre-release testing. Vogt offers this on WGU's experience. "We are currently using the eShelf℠ Service to provide access to children's books for the students in our Children's Literature course," she noted. "Many students have access already through their jobs or local libraries, but some of our students live in remote areas and find it difficult to obtain books. As an academic library, none of our providers offers this type of collection. We plan to expand the collection over time to include more variety in our collection as well."

The Amigos eShelf℠ Service offers libraries an online platform utilizing Amigos’ infrastructure to host and circulate e-books. Other benefits of this service are that Amigos negotiates agreements with e-book publishers, and libraries are able to integrate titles they have purchased into their existing collections or provide them separately.

To date, the Amigos eShelf℠ Service has completed agreements with nine publishers representing over 60 imprints and 25,000 titles, and expects to continue adding publishers and titles as the service grows.

For more information about the Amigos eShelf℠ Service, contact Christine Peterson, eshelf@amigos.org or 800-843-8482, ext. 2891. This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (Texas State Library and Archives Commission). (2015)

About Amigos Library Services
We are one of the largest consortia of libraries and cultural heritage institutions in the United States. For more than 40 years, Amigos members have collaborated to obtain affordable services and shared library resources and knowledge. Through membership in Amigos, libraries collectively gain access to the latest innovations and services in the library community; pursue opportunities for continuing professional education; leverage their buying power; and preserve the rich cultural heritage of their communities. This collaboration strengthens each member’s ability to serve and lead its community in the creative and effective use of information resources.