Google Books

I do not think libraries are in any danger yet from Google Books.

This is an interesting service in that there are a wide range of publications available, however it seemed to me that most if not all of the more recent publications are only available as excerpts or previews, not as full text. I also found their search a little clunky to use. I did like the fact that you can search within the full text of books, however I found that the quality of the scans was variable.

This service may have implications for the retention of older material if perpetual access can be guaranteed and the quality of the scans is acceptable. It could also be useful in selecting new material for purchase, as the material could be previewed along with any reviews. Users could also use the reviews to find an item which may be of use to them.