New Library World

Purpose – There is evidence that the percentage of students in the higher education environment in the USA who will be using technology everyday in 2010 could reach nearly 100 percent. With such a possibility looming, will the plethora of e-book readers or hand-held multi-functional devices designed to download and read e-books change the reading habits of our students? The purpose of this paper is to discuss the present state of e-book readers and consider their potential impact on the academic environment.

Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken is a literature review and commentary on this topic that is now being addressed by cost-conscious colleagues.

Findings – The e-book reader that becomes the standard will win the day appealing to college students by virtue of its cost and the variety of features that allow them the ability to retrieve the largest number of accessible materials to support their coursework.

Originality/value – The value is in addressing this issue is to keep fresh the discussion on this topic and its potential impact on college students.