Public libraries are increasingly turning to ebooks and the first all-digital public library in the US has opened in Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas.
The library is called Bibliotech and will initially offer 10,000 ebooks through the 3M Cloud Library. 3M is a service which aims to simplify ebook lending for libraries. It has linked up with 300 publishers with a total of over 200,000 titles.
Bibliotech will also offer audiobooks from One-Click Digital and language instruction from Mango.
There will be 500 e-readers to use at the library, with 100 pre-loaded enhanced e-readers for children, 50 computer stations, 25 laptops and 25 tablets.
The library offers access to a wide selection of reference and article databases via TexShare from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
It will also link access to Library of Congress Internet Archives, Library of Congress American memory, TexShare Database, Librovox (public domain audio books), Project Gutenberg (public domain ebooks).
Bibliotech is a seven-day operation with opening hours of 12 noon-8pm from Monday to Friday and 10am-6pm on Saturday and Sunday.