Abstract
In this paper, we describe the current status and issues of e-book services in Japanese public libraries. Currently, e-book services have only been introduced in 30 public libraries. Many issues have already been identified, including clarification of accounting standards for e-books, standardization of public library systems and publisher contract rules regarding e-books, guarantee of the public library budget regarding e-book service, increase of genres and title numbers of e-books by publishers, improvement of accessibility function of e-books, and so on. In the future, in order to nurture the spread of e-book services in public libraries, cooperation between public libraries, publishers, wholesale e-booksellers, and system vendors is important.
