Re: [CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app
Hello Lauren, it has been long time I watching Code4lib and today I can finally contribute. After more than 10 years in the library, I moved to a company where we develop the technology for accessing electronic documents including lending services for library (consult with the University Library at Charles University and the Prague Municipal Library in Czech Republic). We have developed administration and editing environment for electronic publications and also reading application. This is actually just a technological solution that is able to receive electronic publications in epub or pdf from anyone - optionally is to enrich our own DRM - and finally an application on iOS or Android and PC (binary solutions or browser) to enable lending/reading ebooks. The main goal was not just lending platform for various content, but also user-friendly reading and use all the possibilities of the virtual environment to enrich the reading experience. For example, you can add the author's comment into publications as a video file or insert direct link to library website with other content or services etc. Maybe I could also help :-) Best, Bara 2015-03-26 5:52 GMT+01:00 Lauren Magnuson lauren.lpmagnu...@gmail.com: Eben - Thanks for the Library Simplified link, that's exactly what I was looking for! It seems like academic libraries have work to do to lobby our vendors to enable us to create better / smoother user experiences. I suspect they won't make it easy though. The larger issue seems to be Adobe DRM. A white label BlueFire app seems like a good potential solution, but it's pretty pricy and might be cost prohibitive for a lot of libraries to adopt. Just to license the technology to use / interact with Adobe DRM stuff is pretty costly on its own. The reason the Library Simplified project seems like a promising direction is that it's libraries taking ownership of the solution, rather than relying on vendors to deliver apps.
Re: [CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app
Lauren, There actually is a group working toward exactly this type of goal. It's a IMLS grant-funded initiative being organized by NYPL called Library Simplified: http://www.librarysimplified.org/ You can find out more at the above link, but the basic goal of the project is to create an app for iOS and Android that allows libraries to integrate content from different ebook vendors into a seamless discovery and reading interface. I know that so far they've been working with 3M, Overdrive, and Baker Taylor to allow content from these vendors to work within the app. Currently the app is still in development, but I believe the target date for the initial roll-out is late April or early May. Thanks, Eben English Web Services Developer Boston Public Library 700 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116 617.859.2238 eengl...@bpl.org On Tue, Mar 24, 2015 at 7:39 PM, Lauren Magnuson lauren.lpmagnu...@gmail.com wrote: I'm curious to know if anyone has explored creating a mobile app for their library that would facilitate downloading /reading library ebooks from multiple library ebook vendors. I'm envisioning an app that would allow the user to browse ebooks from multiple platforms (e.g., ebrary, EBSCO) and enable downloading and DRM management stuff right in the app. I can think of a million roadblocks to creating something like this (publishers, vendors, Adobe, etc.) But I can also think of a lot of good reasons why this would be very useful (the process to download an ebook from an academic library is, for the most part, ludicrous). I know there's Overdrive - and ebrary has it's own app, or whatever, and there are apps like Bluefire that can be used with library ebooks - but something non-platform specific that could conceivably work for multiple library ebook platforms (and be customized by a library to allow the reader to browse collections) is what I have in mind. I also really dig this Reader's First (http://readersfirst.org/) initiative, which it looks like is wrangling with a lot of the policy /vendor side of things. Feel free to contact me off list with any information / ideas / advice. This feels like a kind of enormous problem, and a lot of libraries could benefit from a group working toward a technical solution - but perhaps such a group / initiative already exists? Thanks in advance, Lauren Magnuson Systems Emerging Technologies Librarian, CSU Northridge Development Coordinator, PALNI
Re: [CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app
Another approach- I think the Colorado consortium did this, is to whitelabel the Bluefire App, which works with any Adobe-DRM ebook. With the Rakuten acquisition of Overdrive, I think it it might be wise to let the dust settle and see what happens with Kobo. And I know of at least 2, maybe 3, maybe 4 companies poised to enter the US library market with apps of their own. Both in the Adobe ecosystem and outside of it. On Mar 25, 2015, at 9:34 AM, English, Eben eengl...@bpl.org wrote: Lauren, There actually is a group working toward exactly this type of goal. It's a IMLS grant-funded initiative being organized by NYPL called Library Simplified: http://www.librarysimplified.org/ You can find out more at the above link, but the basic goal of the project is to create an app for iOS and Android that allows libraries to integrate content from different ebook vendors into a seamless discovery and reading interface. I know that so far they've been working with 3M, Overdrive, and Baker Taylor to allow content from these vendors to work within the app. Currently the app is still in development, but I believe the target date for the initial roll-out is late April or early May. Thanks, Eben English Web Services Developer Boston Public Library 700 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116 617.859.2238 eengl...@bpl.org On Tue, Mar 24, 2015 at 7:39 PM, Lauren Magnuson lauren.lpmagnu...@gmail.com wrote: I'm curious to know if anyone has explored creating a mobile app for their library that would facilitate downloading /reading library ebooks from multiple library ebook vendors. I'm envisioning an app that would allow the user to browse ebooks from multiple platforms (e.g., ebrary, EBSCO) and enable downloading and DRM management stuff right in the app. I can think of a million roadblocks to creating something like this (publishers, vendors, Adobe, etc.) But I can also think of a lot of good reasons why this would be very useful (the process to download an ebook from an academic library is, for the most part, ludicrous). I know there's Overdrive - and ebrary has it's own app, or whatever, and there are apps like Bluefire that can be used with library ebooks - but something non-platform specific that could conceivably work for multiple library ebook platforms (and be customized by a library to allow the reader to browse collections) is what I have in mind. I also really dig this Reader's First (http://readersfirst.org/) initiative, which it looks like is wrangling with a lot of the policy /vendor side of things. Feel free to contact me off list with any information / ideas / advice. This feels like a kind of enormous problem, and a lot of libraries could benefit from a group working toward a technical solution - but perhaps such a group / initiative already exists? Thanks in advance, Lauren Magnuson Systems Emerging Technologies Librarian, CSU Northridge Development Coordinator, PALNI
Re: [CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app
Hi, If I'm not mistaken, this would require ebook vendors to expand their APIs to include the ability to checkout and download. I know of no vendor who does this. But maybe I'm wrong on both counts... Erik. -- Erik Sandall, MLIS Electronic Services Librarian Webmaster Mechanics' Institute 57 Post Street San Francisco, CA 94104 415-393-0111 esand...@milibrary.org On 3/24/2015 5:31 PM, Becky Schneider wrote: Here is an article that explores how such an app could be developed using existing technology: http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2013/building-a-community-of-readers-social-reading-and-an-aggregated-ebook-reading-app-for-libraries/ Becky Schneider Reference Librarian Fauquier County Public Library On Tue, Mar 24, 2015 at 7:39 PM, Lauren Magnuson lauren.lpmagnu...@gmail.com wrote: I'm curious to know if anyone has explored creating a mobile app for their library that would facilitate downloading /reading library ebooks from multiple library ebook vendors. I'm envisioning an app that would allow the user to browse ebooks from multiple platforms (e.g., ebrary, EBSCO) and enable downloading and DRM management stuff right in the app. I can think of a million roadblocks to creating something like this (publishers, vendors, Adobe, etc.) But I can also think of a lot of good reasons why this would be very useful (the process to download an ebook from an academic library is, for the most part, ludicrous). I know there's Overdrive - and ebrary has it's own app, or whatever, and there are apps like Bluefire that can be used with library ebooks - but something non-platform specific that could conceivably work for multiple library ebook platforms (and be customized by a library to allow the reader to browse collections) is what I have in mind. I also really dig this Reader's First (http://readersfirst.org/) initiative, which it looks like is wrangling with a lot of the policy /vendor side of things. Feel free to contact me off list with any information / ideas / advice. This feels like a kind of enormous problem, and a lot of libraries could benefit from a group working toward a technical solution - but perhaps such a group / initiative already exists? Thanks in advance, Lauren Magnuson Systems Emerging Technologies Librarian, CSU Northridge Development Coordinator, PALNI
Re: [CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app
This is evidently what 3M and Overdrive are providing for vendors like III to integrate the ebook products with the ILS. The question will be, will those APIs be available to individual libraries, not just to ILS vendors? Cindy Harper char...@vts.edu -Original Message- From: Code for Libraries [mailto:CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Erik Sandall Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2015 12:48 PM To: CODE4LIB@LISTSERV.ND.EDU Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app Hi, If I'm not mistaken, this would require ebook vendors to expand their APIs to include the ability to checkout and download. I know of no vendor who does this. But maybe I'm wrong on both counts... Erik. -- Erik Sandall, MLIS Electronic Services Librarian Webmaster Mechanics' Institute 57 Post Street San Francisco, CA 94104 415-393-0111 esand...@milibrary.org On 3/24/2015 5:31 PM, Becky Schneider wrote: Here is an article that explores how such an app could be developed using existing technology: http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2013/building-a-community-o f-readers-social-reading-and-an-aggregated-ebook-reading-app-for-libra ries/ Becky Schneider Reference Librarian Fauquier County Public Library On Tue, Mar 24, 2015 at 7:39 PM, Lauren Magnuson lauren.lpmagnu...@gmail.com wrote: I'm curious to know if anyone has explored creating a mobile app for their library that would facilitate downloading /reading library ebooks from multiple library ebook vendors. I'm envisioning an app that would allow the user to browse ebooks from multiple platforms (e.g., ebrary, EBSCO) and enable downloading and DRM management stuff right in the app. I can think of a million roadblocks to creating something like this (publishers, vendors, Adobe, etc.) But I can also think of a lot of good reasons why this would be very useful (the process to download an ebook from an academic library is, for the most part, ludicrous). I know there's Overdrive - and ebrary has it's own app, or whatever, and there are apps like Bluefire that can be used with library ebooks - but something non-platform specific that could conceivably work for multiple library ebook platforms (and be customized by a library to allow the reader to browse collections) is what I have in mind. I also really dig this Reader's First (http://readersfirst.org/) initiative, which it looks like is wrangling with a lot of the policy /vendor side of things. Feel free to contact me off list with any information / ideas / advice. This feels like a kind of enormous problem, and a lot of libraries could benefit from a group working toward a technical solution - but perhaps such a group / initiative already exists? Thanks in advance, Lauren Magnuson Systems Emerging Technologies Librarian, CSU Northridge Development Coordinator, PALNI
Re: [CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app
We're doing it through an ebook ILL approach at http://occamsreader.org -- still in a pilot project with Springer and the GWLA Libraries. The 2.0 viewer launching this fall includes a responsive design that looks great on phones and tablets. Kenny Ketner Software Development Manager Texas Tech University Libraries kenny.ket...@ttu.edu 806-773-5323 Strategic - Ideation - Connectedness - Relator - Learner On Tue, Mar 24, 2015 at 7:44 PM, Lauren Magnuson lauren.lpmagnu...@gmail.com wrote: Becky that is 100% awesome - I had not seen that article, but it is totally helpful. Thanks for sharing it! Lauren
Re: [CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app
Eben - Thanks for the Library Simplified link, that's exactly what I was looking for! It seems like academic libraries have work to do to lobby our vendors to enable us to create better / smoother user experiences. I suspect they won't make it easy though. The larger issue seems to be Adobe DRM. A white label BlueFire app seems like a good potential solution, but it's pretty pricy and might be cost prohibitive for a lot of libraries to adopt. Just to license the technology to use / interact with Adobe DRM stuff is pretty costly on its own. The reason the Library Simplified project seems like a promising direction is that it's libraries taking ownership of the solution, rather than relying on vendors to deliver apps.
[CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app
I'm curious to know if anyone has explored creating a mobile app for their library that would facilitate downloading /reading library ebooks from multiple library ebook vendors. I'm envisioning an app that would allow the user to browse ebooks from multiple platforms (e.g., ebrary, EBSCO) and enable downloading and DRM management stuff right in the app. I can think of a million roadblocks to creating something like this (publishers, vendors, Adobe, etc.) But I can also think of a lot of good reasons why this would be very useful (the process to download an ebook from an academic library is, for the most part, ludicrous). I know there's Overdrive - and ebrary has it's own app, or whatever, and there are apps like Bluefire that can be used with library ebooks - but something non-platform specific that could conceivably work for multiple library ebook platforms (and be customized by a library to allow the reader to browse collections) is what I have in mind. I also really dig this Reader's First (http://readersfirst.org/) initiative, which it looks like is wrangling with a lot of the policy /vendor side of things. Feel free to contact me off list with any information / ideas / advice. This feels like a kind of enormous problem, and a lot of libraries could benefit from a group working toward a technical solution - but perhaps such a group / initiative already exists? Thanks in advance, Lauren Magnuson Systems Emerging Technologies Librarian, CSU Northridge Development Coordinator, PALNI
Re: [CODE4LIB] Ebook reader app
Becky that is 100% awesome - I had not seen that article, but it is totally helpful. Thanks for sharing it! Lauren
