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July 2008 Evergreen Expands Into Academia

Smart Libraries Newsletter

Smart Libraries Newsletter delivers hard data and innovative insights about the world of library technology, every month.

Editor Dan Freeman To subscribe 312-280-5413 [email protected] To reserve your subscription, contact the Customer Service Center at 800-545-2433, press 5 for assistance, Contributing Editors or visit www.techsource.ala.org. Tom Peters 816-616-6746 The 2008 subscription price is just $85 US. [email protected] Marshall Breeding 615-343-6094 Production and design by Kimberly Saar Richardson, American Library Association Production Services. [email protected] Smart Libraries Newsletter is published monthly by ALA TechSource, a unit of the publishing division of the American Library Association. Administrative Assistant Judy Foley Copyright American Library Association 2008. All rights reserved. 800-545-2433, ext. 4272 312-280-4272 [email protected] Newsletter

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Evergreen Expands Into Academia

Open source library automation systems continue to make inroads into an IN THIS ISSUE increasing range of library types and sizes. Before the last two or three years, the adoption of open source library automation systems was relatively rare. In recent Evergreen Expands Into Academia times, a larger number of public libraries have chosen to adopt open source library PAGE 1 automation, usually with paid services from a commercial company. Koha, with Dream Data: OCLC and Google the support of LibLime, and Evergreen, with support from Equinox, have found Exchange Data a growing following of public libraries in the United States. Until recent months, PAGE 3 we have not seen academic libraries make formal commitments to open source RE: Reframe automation systems. We reported in the February 2008 issue of Smart Libraries PAGE 4 July 2008 XXVIII Volume Number 7 Newsletter that the WALDO consortium of academic libraries will be moving to a Virtual World Metrics hosted Koha system. PAGE 5 Microsoft Pulls the Plug on Live First Academic Library Implements Evergreen Search PAGE 6 The Robertson Library of the University of Prince Edward Island became the first academic library to move to the open source Evergreen library automation system. OverDrive Launches DRM-Free The library went live on Evergreen on June 4, 2008, only about a month after the MP3 Audio Service PAGE 7 library’s decision to migrate from its existing SirsiDynix Unicorn system. Under normal circumstances, the implementation of a new automation sys- tem by a relatively small academic library wouldn’t necessarily be a significant

news event. But as the first academic library to venture to adopt Evergreen and to do so in a four-week sprint, it warrants some attention. We also take this oppor- tunity to review some of the recent developments regarding Evergreen and Equi- nox Software. Prior to its implementation by the Robertson Library, Evergreen has not seen production use outside of the public library sphere. The software was created for a ISSN 1541-8820 consortium of public libraries, with specific attention to their automation require- ments. The software lacks functionality required by most academic libraries, such as modules for acquisitions, serials control, and course reserves. Not only did the library make a bold move as the first academic library to implement Evergreen, it opted for a frantic migration process that led the library to production use of the system only four weeks after the initial decision. It should also be noted that this migration did not arise out of the need to move away from a legacy system that no longer was receiving support or develop- ment. The Robertson library was previously using Unicorn, the flagship system of Receive Smart Libraries via e-mail the largest company in the industry. Robertson Library, which opened in 1975, serves the University of Prince Subscribers that would like an e-mailed ver- sion of the newsletter each month should for- Edward Island with a print collection of about 300,000 volumes. The University ward one e-mail address and all of the mailing was formed in 1969 through the merger of Prince of Wales College and St. Dun- label information printed on page 8 of the stan’s University. Mark Leggott has served as University Librarian since October newsletter to [email protected]. Type “e-mail my Smart Libraries” into the subject line. In addi- tion to your monthly printed newsletter, you Continued on next page will receive an electronic copy via e-mail (to one address per paid subscription) at no extra1 charge each month. A­LA TechSource www.techsource.ala.org

2006. Mark has been a long-time advo- business model based on contracts with A Growing Community cate of open source software. other libraries for services related to its Leggott indicates that the imple- support and development. The fold of libraries running Evergreen mentation of Evergreen falls within the Equinox has recently recruited other continues to expand. PINES, the origi- library’s overall technology strategy. “I industry experts to its ranks. Karen Sch- nal consortium to implement Evergreen, like the collaborative nature of open neider joined the company in May 2008 went live on September 5, 2006 for all source community and we are moving all as its Community Librarian. Schneider 252 libraries. The PINES consortium has our systems to open source software.” An comes to Equinox from the College Cen- since expanded to 275 libraries spanning earlier project included the development ter for Library Automation in Florida 140 counties in Georgia. of a Virtual Research Environment based where she was involved in research and Kent County Public Library Sys- on open source components including development. She is a prolific writer in tem, a small rural library in Maryland, Drupal and Fedora. the library profession and beyond. Equi- also recently went live on Evergreen. This The Robertson Library brought nox appointed Dr. Robert Molyneux as library worked with both Equinox Soft- many resources to bear to make this Vice President for Business Development ware and Alpha-G Consulting. Alpha-G compressed timeline possible. The library in November 2007. Molyneux formerly Consulting specializes in helping librar- relied on a number of persons—both served as chief statistician for SirsiDynix ies that use the Horizon library automa- within the library and from external with involvement in the Normative Data tion system. organizations—to complete the migra- Project for Libraries. Shae Tetterton, also In April 2008 The Michigan Library tion to Evergreen. The project provided a SirsiDynix alumna, was hired by Equi- Consortium signed a contract with Equi- the opportunity for widespread involve- nox as a project manager in June 2008, nox to migrate to Evergreen. A small group ment by staff throughout the library. The working most recently for the South Car- of libraries within the consortium will library’s internal efforts were led by its olina State Library. transition to Evergreen over the summer of systems manager Grant Johnson. Staff 2008 with additional libraries to follow. Evergreen has found a receptive members from throughout the library Neighborly Assistance contributed to the project, meeting audience in Canada. In addition to the almost daily during the last phases of the The Robertson Library also drew upon Conifer Project mentioned above, the project. The blog documenting the pro- the expertise of Dan Scott of Laurentian SITKA consortium in British Columbia cess describes the many tasks taken on by University, who has a history of involve- has launched a shared instance of Ever- library staff members, involving testing ment with Evergreen. Scott is involved green available to libraries throughout the system and finding ways to accom- with Project Conifer, working toward a the province, with about 15 libraries live modate the many differences between the shared version of Evergreen for several on the system to date. way that Evergreen functions relative to academic libraries in Canada including their existing Unicorn ILS. Laurentian University, McMaster Uni- Implementation Challenges versity, and the University of Windsor. The Robertson Library does not expect Equinox Software Provides These universities plan to switch to Ever- green by May 2009. The smaller-scale to move to an open source automation Evergreen Services implementation of Evergreen for the system without ongoing costs. Rather, it expects to make investments in the The library contracted with Equinox Robertson Library may provide valuable experience and insights concerning how development of Evergreen to help fill in Software for assistance in the migra- areas of missing functionality. Leggott tion process. Equinox Software is a small the software functions in an academic library setting. explains, “We wanted to reinvest what company devoted to promoting Ever- the library pays annually to our current green and contracting with libraries to provide services surrounding the prod- uct. The company traces its roots to the individuals involved in the original The smaller-scale implementation of development of Evergreen for the Geor- Evergreen for the Robertson Library may gia Public Library Service (GPLS), and is steadily adding new personnel. The provide valuable experience and insights company provides support to GPLS for concerning how the software functions in an its implementation of Evergreen as an external contractor and has adopted a academic library setting. 2 Smart Libraries

vendor to the open source community and Fedora. They will use Evergreen’s demonstrates that the software does not by spending it on improvements to the bookbag feature to handle print items come ready-built for academic library Evergreen code.” placed on reserve. use, but is adaptable in the hands of Some of the challenges that the Rob- Evergreen also lacks a Z39.50 server. creative and technically proficient per- ertson Library faces in its implementa- The library is currently exploring options sonnel. Should we consider the imple- tion of Evergreen involve finding ways to to gain this functionality. mentation of Evergreen by the Robertson fulfill functionality not currently present Leggott sees the move to Evergreen Library as evidence that Evergreen needs the software. Evergreen was developed as a strong opportunity for the library, a lot of workarounds to function in an primarily for public libraries and lacks despite any functionality that had to academic library? Or do we consider it modules for acquisitions, serials con- be creatively implemented. “We are get- as a versatile system capable of working trol, and academic reserves—generally ting a lot of additional functionality and with other open source applications as required for an automation system in an opportunity, such as a more open and part of a broader automation environ- academic library setting. For each of these flexible data model for doing whatever ment? areas the library had to find other ways to we want with our data.” As other academic libraries consider automate this aspect of its operations. For Evergreen among their options, they can acquisitions, the library moved this func- Ready for Prime Time? learn from the experiences of the early tion from Unicorn to the library’s local adopters such as the Robertson Library financial systems and into spreadsheets. The use of Evergreen by the PINES con- to help judge the ability of the software Some aspects of acquisitions and serials sortium in Georgia demonstrates that the to meet their requirements. control were moved onto the open source software can successfully provide auto- —Marshall Breeding CUFTS link resolver system, resulting in mation for public libraries. Its expansion More Info. @: some electronic resource management to the SITKA consortium and other pub- features not present in Unicorn. CUFTS lic libraries leverages the functionality Evergreen: http://open-ils.org/ was developed at Simon Fraser Univer- already present in the software. Introduc- sity for the Council of Prairie and Pacific ing the software into an academic library Equinox: http://eslibrary.com Libraries. The library is working toward environment presents much more of a Alpha-G Consulting: other alternatives for course reserves as challenge. http://www.alphagconsulting.com well. Electronic reserves will be handled The unfolding story of the adoption by a custom system created with Drupal of Evergreen by the Robertson Library

Dream Data: OCLC and Google Exchange Data

In late May OCLC and Google and services), while it is a lukewarm win More Info. @: announced that they had signed an agree- at best for Google Book Search Library ment to exchange metadata in order to Partners, with little or no benefit for the OCLC Press Release: improve the discoverability of library remaining libraries and library users. http://www.oclc.org/news/ books through the various Google search It is difficult to predict the long- releases/200811.htm services. With this agreement, librar- term impact of the activities and shar- Google Book Search: ies who are OCLC member libraries ing of metadata that will result from http://books.google.com and who are participating in the Google this agreement, in part because users Book Search Program may share their of Google and libraries will do what List of Google Book Search OCLC WorldCat-derived MaRC records they want, regardless of the best laid Library Partners: with Google. plans of Google and OCLC. At the very http://books.google.com/google In response to the announcement, least, however, Google seems to be seeing books/partners. Peter McCracken wrote a blog post that increasing value in the metadata created interprets the agreement as a win for by libraries, and Google and OCLC seem Google (in the sense that more people will to be becoming quite chummy. spend more time using Google’s content —Tom Peters

3 A­LA TechSource www.techsource.ala.org

RE: Reframe

An argument could be made that films ing the rights holders for a specific film sion films and videos. In comparison, the (motion pictures, videos, movies, music have granted Reframe these distribution master collection of downloadable videos videos, home videos, news footage, etc.), rights. To use the Unbox service, librar- from OverDrive already exceeds 6,000 with their various genres (training films, ies will need to download and install the titles. Version 3 of the OverDrive Media feature length wide release commercial Amazon Unbox Video Player software, Console, the software the enables play- films, documentaries, short films, etc.) which currently runs only on computers back of video, audiobooks, and music are one of the key content forms for running the operat- from OverDrive, recently was released. understanding world culture in the 20th ing system. Amazon Unbox is designed Although Reframe currently has a much and 21st centuries. They may have over- primarily for individual end-users, but it smaller master collection, they launched taken other forms of expression, such as may be possible to set up an institutional offering a DVD option. Their website poetry and drama, as weighty cultural account. The Unbox service is limited quotes the ALA Factsheet on Videos and utterances, if such utterances could be to single computers, too. Tammie Rosen Copyright which states that libraries can weighed. If libraries plan to continue from Tribeca suggested that it is both loan and/or rent videos designated for taking their role as archives of the pub- possible and permissible, for example, for home viewing only to patrons for their lic cultural record seriously, they need to a college library to have an institutional personal use. Downloadable digital vid- take films seriously. Unbox account, then work with individ- eos from OverDrive currently cannot be This challenge received a boost in ual professors at that college who want to burned to DVD. Steve Potash, the CEO June when the Tribeca Film Institute, a integrate Reframe videos into the course of OverDrive, applauded Reframe’s entry non-profit organization, with support content, then ask students to come to the into this market. The market for down- from the John D. and Catherine T. Mac- library to view the videos at the desig- loadable digital videos through librar- Arthur Foundation, launched Reframe, nated library workstation. Reframe and ies and library consortia is a small but a project to make thousands of doc- Tribeca are mindful of library rights and growing segment of institutional con- umentaries, independent films, educa- responsibilities. The website FAQ page tent distribution, with a bright future in tional films, and other video content about licensing frequently cites various part because it avoids many of the costs beyond the pale of mainstream commer- ALA documents. and frailties of a hard-copy distribution cial films much more accessible in digital Tammie Rosen from Tribeca reported system, such as DVDs, which are scratch formats to scholars, educators, librar- to me that pricing for libraries probably magnets. ies, and the general public. The goals of will be based on the projected number Reframe is not only aspiring to the Reframe project are to make it eas- of people who will view each film, the be a one-stop resource for films. They ier and less expensive to convert “niche” projected number of showings, and the also are helping filmmakers and media films to current digital formats, and to method of delivery (i.e., on DVD or via a artists to convert older films to digital make these films easier to find and access digital download). Ultimately, the rights format, when the costs of doing so uni- by scholars, teachers, students, and film holders will have some input into how laterally are prohibitive. The press release buffs. Reframe may fill the gap between the films they own are priced and dis- announcing the launch of Reframe notes the small but tightly guarded corral of fea- tributed. Rosen reports that one piece of that works in video formats will be digi- ture length commercial films and the wide doing business with institutions such as tized free of charge, and works in film and wild array of video content available libraries that is not yet in place is the abil- formats will be digitized at cost. Reframe on sites like YouTube. As the press release ity to accept and handle purchase orders, promises to return a digital copy of the notes, “Reframe will be a trusted source but they are working on that. converted film to the rights holder for to help guide quality content.” Trust and The size of the collection at launch free, and Reframe will allow the rights quality are the key words here. was slightly more than 200 films, but holders to make their content available The films will be made available to Tribeca hopes to reach the 10,000 title to others in a nonexclusive arrangement. individuals and institutions on DVDs benchmark by the end of the first year of For this type of content, getting noticed, through Amazon.com, or via down- operation, including independent feature cited, and discussed may be much more loadable digital video to own or rent films, documentaries, short films, for- important than protecting the distri- through Amazon’s Unbox service, assum- eign films, and even classic public televi- bution and copy rights. Reframe is

Continued on page 6 4 Smart Libraries

Virtual World Metrics

Of the gathering and analyzing of statis- of a circle or sphere around the sensor. of a library in a virtual world, would you tics there is no end. We librarians have For example, if the sensor is set to detect want any Tom, Dick, or Jane avatar to the gathering of statistics about bricks activity within 20 meters radius of itself, have the power to unobtrusively deploy and mortar libraries down to a fine art- and if an avatar comes within 5 meters proximity sensors in your library and ful science, although there remains a of the sensor and stays “within range” for gather information about the number troubling broadness and indeterminate- 5 minutes, the proximity sensor will log (and names) of avatars who visit your ness of the meaning of usage of infor- that activity as a visit. virtual world library? mation objects and services. When can Proximity sensors can be hidden One great thing about proximity we say with confidence and clarity that a from view, so that unobtrusive observa- sensors is that they are priced to sell. user actually used an information object? tion of activity can be detected. This is Some sensor kits, such as the ones from Usage is a broad concept and very diffi- similar to the transaction logging fea- Maya Realities, are free, while others, cult to measure and confirm, especially ture of many online catalog systems, such as the Remote Virtual Sensor from in the context of legitimate user concerns which record patron searches and system Thomas Conover Products, which work about protecting their privacy and confi- responses unobtrusively. in the virtual world called Second Life, dentiality. Often what gets counted as a The unobtrusiveness of proximity cost as little at $2. The cost of staff time to use is only a strong indicator of use. For sensor functionality is the tip of the ice- investigate sensors, learn how to deploy example, the user checked out the book, berg of a host of interesting issues about and harvest the sensors for maximum so we can assume that some sort of use privacy and confidentiality in virtual usability and usefulness for your library, probably occurred, even if the book was worlds. Some proximity sensors record and actually collect the data on a regular used during the circulation period only and report only aggregate visit statis- basis probably will be the major expense as a paperweight or a door jamb. tics. For example, they may report that of a proximity sensor project. Metrics is the science of gathering in June 2008 a total of 75 unique ava- Virtual world metrics seems to be and analyzing data. Although the validity tars came within range of the sensor and about at the stage of development and and usefulness of a set of metrics devel- spent a total of 300 minutes within range, refinement that web-based metrics were oped for one discipline and environment for an average visit length of 4 minutes. approximately ten years ago, when orga- are notoriously difficult to port over to Other proximity sensor products will nizations were just beginning to mine another discipline and environment, the record the actual name of the avatar who web server logs in earnest, and when lots metrics of bricks and mortar libraries, came within range of the sensor. The of software companies were making web of web-based library resources, and of level of openness (transparency) or pri- server log analysis software. Much of the the nascent virtual world libraries have vacy between an avatar and the person development and use of proximity sen- some similarities. Take the basic concept behind the avatar varies from situation sors is being done outside and beyond of a “visit” to a library. In the real world, to situation and from person to person. librarianship. When it comes to virtual the gate count gives a sense of how many Some people strongly identify their real world metrics, the values and needs of people passed through the entryways and selves with their virtual world avatars, other organizations, professional groups, thus visited the real library. On the web, while others don’t want people to be able and commercial interests may not jibe through the use of web server log anal- to make that connection. If a proximity with the values and needs of librarian- ysis software, it is possible to get a reli- sensor product records the avatar’s name, ship. We need to be actively engaged able sense of how many people visited does that represent a clear and present in the testing and use of virtual world your library’s website in a given period danger for an invasion of the privacy of metrics tools so that the norms and of time. the person behind the avatar? best practices that eventually will emerge For libraries and other organizations Some proximity sensors can be reflect our professional input. creating presences in virtual worlds, a deployed and harvested only by either —Tom Peters nifty tool called a proximity sensor has the owner or officer of the parcel of vir- More Info. @: been developed. A proximity sensor basi- tual land upon which the proximity sen- cally senses when an avatar is within a sor is deployed. Other proximity sensor Maya Realities Website: specified range of the sensor, usually products can be deployed by anyone just http://www.mayarealities.com/ expressed as the distance of the radius about anywhere. If you are the director 5 A­LA TechSource www.techsource.ala.org

Microsoft Pulls the Plug on Live Search Books

The postmortem on Microsoft’s Live Microsoft seems to be throwing the Google. They suggest that, rather than Book Search continues in the wake of mass digitization project back to the fight Google on all fronts, Microsoft the late May blog post announcement libraries, archives, publishers, and repos- should pick its fields of battle carefully. from Microsoft that it no longer plans itories. Some librarians may see this as a The impact of this decision on indi- to offer separate portals for Live Search return to the proper ordering of the schol- vidual end-users is difficult to measure. Books and Live Search Academic. If arly communication universe, where the One commentator (May 29, at 4:19 PM) it hasn’t been done already, someone handling, scanning, storing, and deliv- to the blog post noted that this was a very should write a long blog post about ery of scholarly content is seen as a pub- bad development for researchers in third the current propensity of major corpo- lic good activity best left to libraries and world countries. rations to use blog posts to announce other not-for-profits. Other librarians, It is difficult to predict what impact unfortunate news. The announcement perhaps especially those who had for- this hasty exit by Microsoft will have on also indicated that Microsoft would be mal working agreements with Microsoft the overall cluster of mass digitization “winding down” their digitization initia- on mass digitization projects, may miss projects. Brewster Kahle from the Inter- tives that they have undertaken with var- the resources (financial, technical) that net Archive and the Open Content Alli- ious partner organizations. The content Microsoft brought to the table. In closing ance, which had been receiving financial that already has been digitized – approxi- down this service, Microsoft agreed to support from Microsoft, was sanguine mately 750,000 volumes, according to the remove any contractual restrictions they about Microsoft’s decision, suggesting announcement -- will be ported over to held on the public domain books that that the emerging new world order for the main Live Search engine. had been scanned, and they are allow- mass digitization projects is the way it When trying to read between the ing the partner organizations to keep the always should have been. He concludes lines of the announcement and translate scanning and production equipment. his blog post with a rallying cry, “Onward press-speak into plain English, I sense The skeptics who took a dim view of to a completely public library system!” that Microsoft concluded that there is all these mass digitization projects when —Tom Peters no viable business model to continue they were announced a few years ago More Info. @: these particular mass digitization proj- may be chortling now, reminding folks ects. This should come as no surprise to that the differences between the breath- Microsoft blog post: most scholarly and academic publish- less and grandiose announcements made http://blogs.msdn.com/livesearch/ ers. This market is all about the long tail. at the beginning of a massive project and archive/2008/05/23/book-search The longer the tail of niche content, the the end results can be substantial. -winding-down.aspx better. There are few high-volume sales Some bloggers and commentators Brewster Kahle’s blog post: items in the academic and scholarly con- have seen this decision by Microsoft http://www.archive.org/iathreads/ tent market. as essentially throwing in the towel to post-view.?id=194217

Re: Reframe (continued from page 4) working with CreateSpace, which has developed a DVD on More Info. @: Demand system. CreateSpace is a service of On-Demand Pub- lishing, founded in 2002 as CustomFlix Labs, and, since 2005, a Reframe Website: subsidiary of Amazon.com. http://reframecollection.com/ Additional support for Reframe comes from the Andy Reframe Licensing FAQ: Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the National Endow- http://reframecollection.com/licensing.jsp ment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts. Amazon Unbox: —Tom Peters http://www.amazon.com/unbox/

6 Smart Libraries

OverDrive Launches DRM-Free MP3 Audio Book Service

In late June OverDrive officially launched price surcharge for the unprotected MP3 than WMA files, the download times for its new DRM-free MP3 downloadable versions of their content, OverDrive is these audio books will be longer. Over- digital audio book service for librar- trying to offer the same pricing scheme. Drive has divided the MP3 audio books ies and other institutional customers, For the audio books currently avail- in parts, each lasting approximately one which will complement, not replace, able through OverDrive in the protected hour, as they have done with their pro- OverDrive's audio book service deliver- WMA file format, the average price per tected WMA collection, but the download ing protected WMA (Windows Media copy is approximately $40. times, especially for dial-up users, may be Audio) files. Both services can be inte- The DRM may be gone from these noticeably longer for these MP3 files. grated into one service, and version 3 MP3 audio books, but that does not Preliminary tests of the transfer of the OverDrive Media Console soft- mean that certain terms and conditions times from a Mac to an iPod also indi- ware will play both types, as well as of use do not apply. Quoting from the cate longer transfer times for people who the music and video content available press release, "Library users are required want to listen to these MP3 audio books through OverDrive. to acknowledge and agree to specific on their iPods. Weissman speculates that In addition to circumventing the terms of use to the borrowed MP3 files the Apple designers of the iPod may not troublesome and troubling digital right before they can download from their have paid much attention to minimiz- management layer, the new service also library’s "Virtual Branch" website. After ing content transfer times, assuming that makes it feasible for Mac, iPod, and the lending period expires, the Over- users would be transfering short songs, iPhone users to access this content. Until Drive Media Console software disables not large audio book files. The launch of now, many librarians have expressed con- access to the expired title. OverDrive this service is just one more reason for cerns about providing a downloadable Media Console then prompts the user the designers and manufacturers of por- digital audio book service from Over- to delete all OverDrive MP3 Audiobook table audio playback devices to wake up Drive, NetLibrary, or another vendor that files from their PC and any and all trans- and smell the audio books. would not work on iPods, the most pop- ferred copies." —Tom Peters ular portable MP3 player. The DC Public Library is the first More Info. @: At launch OverDrive's MP3 audio library in the U.S. to offer this new ser- book collection contained approximately vice to the public. By the end of 2008 OverDrive Press Release: 3,000 titles, compared to approximately OverDrive plans to have hundreds of http://www.overdrive.com/ 20,000 titles in OverDrive's collection libraries and library systems offering aboutus/getArticle.aspx?news of protected WMA audio books, and MP3 audio books, including the New ArticleID=20080625 approximately 80,000 electronic books. York Public Library, the Cleveland Pub- Understandably, the launch collection con- lic Library, and the King County Library tains some classics in the public domain, System in Washington. but it also includes recently published While the popular works, such as Catch Me if You launch of this Can by Frank W. Abagnale, Master and M P 3 - b a s e d Commander by Patrick O’Brian, Sideways d ow n l o a d a b l e by Rex Pickett, Lost Boys by Orson Scott digital audio book Card, and Breach of Duty by J.A. Jance. service for librar- Claudia Weissman, the international ies and other business director at OverDrive, reported institutional cus- to me that the prices for the DRM-free tomers certainly MP3 versions of these audio books are is a good thing the same or almost the same as the pro- overall, it is not tected WMA versions. Whereas some all cakes and ale. vendors of downloadable digital music Because MP3 files have elected (or been forced) to add a tend to be larger

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