Biblius: The MEES platform for e-book lending in school libraries

Session C 11:15 – 12:00

Session Description:

In the Digital Action Plan for Education and Higher Education, the MEES committed to support the deployment of an ebook lending platform in all Quebec school libraries. While some platforms such as Overdrive already allow ebooks lending, they offer very few French titles, and some of their features or terms of use can be complicated in an educational context. This session presents the origins of the Biblius project, and some of the technical and legal challenges encountered. It also includes short presentations from Raphaella Dixon (LBPSB) and Julian Taylor (EMSB), who are piloting Biblius during the first deployment phase (February to June 2020).

Presenter Bio:

Nancy Lusignan

Nancy Lusignan has a Master’s Degree in Information Sciences (EBSI). She worked for 6 years as a school librarian for the Commission scolaire des Hautes-Rivières where she was very involved in various projects promoting the educational use of school libraries and children’s literature. For 4 years, she led a librarians’ committee on ebooks in Montérégie. Since February 2019, she has been the project manager at Bibliopresto for the Biblius project. Collaboration is the cornerstone of her professional approach.

 

 

Bibliopresto is a nonprofit organisation created in 2012 by a public libraries consortium (BAnQ, ABPQ, Réseaux BIBLIO). Its objective: to develop digital products and services to support the mission of the library. Among others, Bibliopresto deployed Pretnumerique.ca, the ebook platform now offered in most public libraries in Québec and New Brunswick. Because of its rich expertise, it is now a key player of digital innovation for libraries.