Chapter 2. Key Benefits of Free Reading Zones

Abstract

Chapter 2 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 53, no. 7), “Free Reading Zones: Transforming Access to Books through Technology”

Chapter 2 of this issue of Library Technology Reports (vol. 53, no. 7), “Free Reading Zones: Transforming Access to Books through Technology,” aims to clarify the benefits of Free Reading Zones (FREZ) by focusing on the many ways in which they empower all who create, distribute, and consume e-books, ways in which they equalize access to knowledge and education in areas beyond thriving city communities, and ways in which they allow those who participate to align missions with other industries and form new partnerships to mutual profit. The chapter explores how FREZ benefits the culture, education, and tourism of a community and concludes with suggestions for how libraries can get involved in similar initiatives.