Thanks for your detailed commentary on Toronto Public Library’s eBook offerings. The issues you identify are real – librarians, too, would like a simpler way to find, download, and read eBooks, but we are limited by what the marketplace currently makes available to libraries.

eBooks are still a relatively new format in library collections. Toronto Public Library has been offering Safari eBooks since July 2006, the NetLibrary eAudiobook service since March 2007, and OverDrive since November 2007. We chose these subscription services based on the quality of their content, while recognizing that using the eBooks is more complex than we would wish. Although offering several different services can make the options a bit confusing at first, we feel that each service has something of value in terms of the content and formats available. Other eBook vendors such as Audible.com do not offer subscriptions to libraries, but we keep tabs on the marketplace and will evaluate new services as they become available.
In response to some of your specific points:

You can in fact download the NetLibrary audiobooks. See our website for instructions.

We are working to have all titles included in the library catalogue. This will provide a centralized place to find eBooks from all the different services.

We are hoping to be able to offer a single sign-in for most of our online services in the near future.

File formats and the attendant DRM restrictions are based on each eBook vendor’s service model and agreeements with publishers. Unfortunately, we don’t have a say in this, although we can certainly pass on feedback from our customers.

I’m happy to report that it is not the case, as you speculate, that we are not updating the eBook collections and that “the library doesn’t spend more money because nobody’s using the e-content.” In 2007, we added two new collections (NetLibrary eAudiobooks and OverDrive), and we will continue to select new materials for these collections in 2008. eBooks are one of our fastest-growing services – use more than doubled from 2006 to 2007.
Thanks again for your thoughtful feedback on our eBook collections. We’re still a long way away from the "dream e-library" you describe, but I hope we’ll overcome some of the challenges and move a bit closer in the near future.
Sandra Gornall, Services Specialist, Electronic ResourcesToronto Public Library