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Safari Tech Books, free.

I found out about a great resource for technical information a while back on the Portland Java User's Group mailing list. If you're in the Portland Oregon metro area and have a library card, you have free access to the Safari Technical Book service. Usually with a subscription you pick a small number of books that you want access to, but with this service the local library picks them. There's over 93 books to choose from, including titles from O'Reilly, Addison Wesley, Sams, Que, and Microsoft Press. Upon my first visit I was disappointed to find a lack of Java titles, but after emailing the person responsible for selecting books, I received immediate response and a great deal more Java books on tap. Check it out: Electronic Science/Technology Databases.

Here's the email that I received back from the request to get more in demand Java books.

Dear Eli,

The Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS)
Safari Tech Books selection committee met yesterday
afternoon to do a quarterly revision of the titles that are
available through our subscription. The committee members
were delighted to receive your suggestions, and I'm pleased
to tell you they have added both the titles you asked for.
As a matter of fact, the entire selection of available
books was changed substantially based on use statistics,
user feedback, and committee members' own professional
judgement. Committee members welcome input from users, and
they have asked me to arrange to include a feedback link on
the website for that purpose. I'm hoping our Automation
Program staff will have that link available in the next
week. Please continue to send us your ideas through that
link so make our service better meet your needs.

Barbara O'Neill