E-book Collections in Academic Libraries of Metropolitan Tehran

In the present age users not only need to have access information, but they need to have access as fast and as easy as possible. This is one of the reasons that has intensified the current ICT applications and the growing need for it. Today not only countless journals are published in electronic format side by side with their printed versions, but numerous books on diverse subjects are published elecrtronically. To better serve their patrons, academic libraries should also collect electronic books along with printed resources. Managers of academic libraries must consider acquisition of various types of electronic books and provision of facilities for accessing. The present paper initially offers the definitions offered with respect to e-books as well as the workshops held globally, researches carried out in academic libraries as well as the categories of information contained in e-books. It would then investigates the various types of e-books held in the academic libraries within metropolitan Tehran and describes the access method for students and patrons. A survey, using questionnaire as a data collection instrument, was conducted.