The New Brunswick public libraries are planning to start offering e-books in the next few months to allow people access to more reading material in different formats.

There are more than two million library books in the various public libraries across the province, but the collection could jump a lot higher once e-books become available.

Tina Bourgeois, the regional director for libraries in the Albert-Westmorland-Kent Region, said people would eventually be able to download e-books from their home computer instead of visiting their local library branches.

"We do realize that it is definitely a request from our patrons," Bourgeois said.

Bourgeois said they are in negotiations to find a company that can provide electronic versions of books.

She said she expects it will take a few months to work out a final agreement.

"We are looking at different types of companies," Bourgeois said.

"So we are actively investigating and I don't want to name any specific companies right now because I'm not sure if contracts have been signed or not but we will be having access to … a large number of electronic books."

More options

Bourgeois said the libraries are getting more and more requests from patrons for e-books.

"Patrons will be go on and check them out and reserve them, if they are already checked out, like they can with any print material," she said.

Bourgeois said there are a lot of details still to work out on what can be offered and how people will be able to access it but she wants to make electronic books just as accessible as regular books.

"That can be downloaded in different media such as your computer or on different readers and things like that," she said.

Bourgeois said e-books and other forms of downloadable material will soon be available across the province.