ALA Launches E-Content Blog: Taking a criticial look at the ongoing discussion about electronic content

ALA has launched E-Content, a blog to provide "information on e-books, e-readers, e-journals, databases, digital libraries, digital repositories, and other e-content issues. The blog complements the new section on e-content that appears in the weekly e-newsletter American Libraries Direct (free subscription) and focuses on similar issues." See the press release.

In the launch post, E-Content: Informing the Transformation of Libraries, the blog's editor, Christopher Harris, writes

Things are a bit murky right now, but as we continue to work with ALA, publishers, and each other, the outlook will hopefully begin to clear. In times of uncertainty, however, it is easy to focus on the unknown or on the known negatives, but things are moving forward. The American Library Association is forming a new Working Group on Digital Content and Libraries and has opened up new channels of communication with the Association of American Publishers as well as individual publishers. This blog will take a critical look at all aspects of the ongoing discussion around electronic content.

(Emphasis added.)

ALA knows that working with publishers does not mean being members of some sort of mythical "partnership" with vendors. Unlike AALL, ALA also knows that the best way to discuss these matters is by critical assessments open for all to read by way of web communications instead of by way of walled gardens. [JH]