Friday, March 23, 2012

CIL2012: The future of ebooks

Andromeda Yelton - GlueJar

Libraries value privacy
eBooks cannot be read anonymously.
They're read on a network, in the cloud. May need to authenticate to get an ebook.

Libraries value sharing
The license terms that ebooks are generally made available are not shareable.

Libraries value preservation
Most of the offerings do not allow libraries to preserve them.

Libraries value access to information
Access to electronic content for whom?

What about patrons that have their own technology?
What angst does that cause?

What  if your patrons are print disabled?
Are we serving the patrons of today or the patrons of tomorrow?

The future is trade-offs among our values.

GlueJar believes that it can support the things that libraries value with its ebooks.  Right now in alpha.  Trying to deliver public domain or CC licensed books. 

Ken Breen, EBSCOhost

Need to move ebooks boldly in the present.

Who is everyone that is interested in ebooks?

People on the buy-side
  • Consumers
  • Professionals
  • Librarians
  • Instructors
  • Students
 People on the sell-side
  • Book sellers
  • Distributors
  • Aggregators
  • Publishers
  • Authors
Now there is a tug of war between the sell-side and the buy-side.

Few people - if any - are pleased.

What ebook sales models exist today?

Perpetual lease / ownership
  • 1 book, 1 user (at a time)
  • >1, < unlimited (for an institution)  - Pay a bit more and get more uses of the ebook
  • Unlimited use (institution)
Short-term subscription or lease

On the buy-side:
  • What are the fees?  Long list!!!  Some have multi-year agreements and offer financing.
  • Ownership or less + markup + fees

The cost of producing an ebook version is incremental to the print cost.  The actual cost to print is 15% of the cost.  The system needed for an ebook system is complex and does cost.

One-off platforms may not attract users and will require maintenance.

For libraries, the markups and fees are a barrier to entry.  EBSCO has been able to eliminate the markups and fees. The suggested price from the publisher, is their price.

Publishers need to understand the migration to ebooks is strategic - it's not a project...it's transformational.

Clare Appavoo, Ingram Coutts (Academic library vendor)

MyiLibrary platform

Purchasing models:
  • Ownership
  • Patron plans
  • Consortia ownership
  • Short-term loan (OCLC's ILLIAD)
Evolution requires flexibility
  • Libraries want to mimic the print purchase models
  • Sophisticated patron community are demanding better search interface
  • Platform re-design t enable new tools such as changing flow controls, downloads to ereaders
  • Publishing models evolving - both print and electronic
The future of MyiLibrary
  • Trade content soon to be available
  • Multiple platform content
  • ore archiving solutions
  • Classroom reader / ereserve
  • Libraries advantage POD options through the catalogue
Mike Shontz, OverDrive

Leading multichannel digital content distributor
One of the largest digital media catalogues
Global sales channels
Focused solely on digital (founded in 1986)

Even with all of the sales, downloads, etc., the industry is still in its infancy.

Serve more than 18,000 libraries worldwide.

OverDrive sees themselves as an advocate for library rights.

Library challenges:
  • How can my library satisfy the explosive demand for ebooks?
  • How can we continue to serve our mission of connecting readers with books in this new digital world?
OverDrive sees libraries as "affiliates".  Buy-it-now...Libraries get part of the proceeds.

Allows for staff suggestions.  Integrate local ads and announcements, and other content.

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