Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/87421
We found the sign-up process for access to even a single e-book to be overly complex. Lexis is now using two different ways to distribute e-books. They can be purchased directly from their LexisNexis online store or borrowed using the Lexis eLending program through their collaboration with Overdrive. Librarians determine which content is available. The lawyers must visit the Lexis website or download an app from Overdrive that allows them to check out e-books. (The site is still under beta testing as of mid-October 2012.) There are about 1,445 titles available. In any case, the online store is oriented toward individual purchases of individual titles, not a library model. Thomson West Thomson's proprietary platform is known as ProView. They initially offered two titles for our trial period — "McKinney's New York Rules of Court," another popular desk book, and "The Transformation of Business Development." Thomson limited the study to seven users. The study lasted exactly three months, after which the e-books disappeared from our devices. They currently offer 230 titles and expect to provide 500 by the year's end. Thomson charges a premium of 10 to 15 percent for e-books over the price for print. Again, we found the sign-up process for access to even a single e-book to be cumbersome. • The library places the order with the vendor's rep. • The library receives an order confirmation email message. • The end user receives an activation email message outlining next steps. • From the activation message, the user accesses OnePass, the Thomson user password account manager, to assign the e-book library to their existing OnePass account. • The user must download the ProView application to iTunes. • As soon as the ProView app is downloaded and opened, the user is asked to log in using OnePass. Credentials are saved on the device for future use so subsequent sign in is not necessary. • The user opens "Your Library" and finally has access to the purchased e-book. Compare that process to taking a book off a shelf. Traditionally a lawyer only has to take a single action once a year: reply to a library email message inquiring as to whether they still wish to receive the printed 70 AALL/ILTA White Paper