With the growing popularity of e-readers such as Amazon’s Kindle, the Barnes & Noble Nook and Sony’s Reader coupled with increased efforts to go green, now could be the time to consider leveraging this technology for your show. Take a cue from the Society for Neuroscience (SFN), which worked with its online abstract management system provider Coe-Truman Technologies to make the 16,000 abstracts it received for its annual Neuroscience meeting, held October 17-21 in Chicago, available for download on Kindles, Readers and iPhones.

SFN typically produces printed abstract books for attendees, but thought its membership might benefit from the Content Discovery Suite eBook option, which was offered through the meeting’s Web site. The technology includes a dictionary and lets attendees search for information, share content, bookmark items and even take notes. And because the service is offered through the client’s Web site, organizers can track who downloads the information.

“As part of a suite of digital and print formats offered to attendees, the Society for Neuroscience made the OASIS Content Discovery Suite eBook platform available at Neuroscience 2009,” says Mona Miller, SFN Senior Director for Communications & Public Affairs. “With the growing use of mobile devices, SFN’s decision provides expanded options and value for our members who use technologies such as e-readers. Offering environmentally responsible options to our members is also in keeping with our mission.”

According to Coe-Truman, converting SFN’s abstracts to e-book format was simple because it already had all of its data in its OASIS abstract management system — only editing and spell checking was required from SFN to complete the task. SFN made the option available to attendees for free to gauge interest in the technology, but organizers can also charge for the service as part of a registration or membership fee or sell sponsorships to cover the cost.

Coe-Truman currently offers the Content Discovery Suite eBook service at a per book cost. For a mid-sized meeting with up to a few thousand abstracts, the service costs about $750 per e-reader format. “But eventually, this will be just another channel and you’ll pay a license fee and can create them yourself,” explains Jon Jenkins, Product Manager, Coe-Truman Technologies.

Visit www.ctt-inc.com for more information.