Chapter 3 Directory of E-book Platforms for Libraries Abstract 123Library Website: https://www.123library.org Chapter 3 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 49, no. Parent company: 123Doc Education 3) “E-book Platforms for Libraries,” the main part of the Library markets: academic/research report, is an A–Z directory of fifty-one e-book platforms Platform type: aggregator/distributor competing for the attention of purchasing librarians in E-book type: scholarly publications, textbooks, gen- the United States and around the world. Each platform is eral nonfiction placed in the context of its respective library market and Main subjects: science, technology, health, medicine, identified according to platform type (e.g., aggregator, pub- social science, humanities lisher), library market (e.g., academic/research, public), e-book type (e.g., trade books, reference books, etc.), and Background: The United Kingdom’s largest distribu- subjects covered (e.g., general, science, humanities, etc.). tor of academic e-books, 123Library is marketed to Special attention is given to unique features of each product. libraries as a universal platform that works with all computer systems and mobile devices. Its web-based he following is an A–Z listing of major e-book e-book reader (123FastReader) preserves the original platforms available to libraries looking to pur- formatting of each page as published in print—ben- Tchase academic, professional, trade, and K–12 eficial for libraries acquiring illustrated books. The e-books. Each platform is described and identified company partners with a wide range of publishers to according to the following characteristics: April 2013 April distribute academic, textbook, and trade content to libraries, including Hodder Education, SAGE Publica- • Library markets: academic/research, corporate, tions, Informa Healthcare, Elsevier, and Wiley-Black- government, public, K–12, etc. well. It has a strong presence in the European e-book • Platform type: aggregator, distributor, e-book market. Over 100 new e-books in the field of health lending service, publisher, university press con- care are added each month. Basic search is a Google- sortium (If a platform serves a dual purpose, alatechsource.org style single input field that recognizes ISBNs as distinct it is identified accordingly, e.g., aggregator/ from other values. Advanced search allows users to re- distributor.) strict search to books or journals (or both). • E-book type: handbooks, reference books, trade nonfiction, fiction, children’s books, etc. Business Model: Librarians may browse the online • Main subjects: general, science, humanities, arts, catalog and purchase one book at a time or opt for a social sciences, etc. range of prepackaged collections of e-books. Several • Background: a concise description of the plat- business models are supported, including outright pur- form, its unique features, and the company’s chase of e-books (once you buy e-books, you own them vision for the product outright) and the loan/pay-per-view/PDA option, Library Technology ReportsLibrary Technology • Business model: a brief explanation of purchas- which allows institutions to have large collections of ing options and plans available to libraries e-books available for a small access fee; pay only for e- 14 E-book Platforms for Libraries Mirela Roncevic books that have been read; purchase e-books gradually down by major subject areas, imprint, pub date, and (10 percent at a time); or acquire titles in perpetuity. ISBN. Subject collections include world history, popu- lar culture, literature, military history, security stud- ies, and women’s studies, among others. Other fea- 3M Cloud Library tures include direct deep linking and mobile device capability via web browser. Website: http://ebook.3m.com Parent company: 3M Business Model: ABC-CLIO allows for unlimited, si- Library markets: public multaneous user access to its e-book platform, which Platform type: distributor/e-book lending service fully supports commuting and off-campus students E-book type: trade fiction and nonfiction and online courses. Educators are encouraged to use Main subjects: all the platform in classroom settings. Background: 3M’s cloud-based e-book lending service launched in the summer of 2011 and gained in popu- Axis 360 larity throughout 2012. It comprises over 250,000 e-book titles for adults from over 300 publishers, in- Website: http://btol.com/axis360 cluding HarperCollins, Random House, Penguin, ABC- Parent company: Baker & Taylor CLIO, Baker Publishing Group, John Wiley & Sons, and Library markets: public, K–12, government, corpo- Workman Publishing. Patrons can read and check out rate, academic titles at home or on the go. They can also use Discov- Platform type: distributor/wholesaler ery Terminal Downloads stations in the library, which E-book type: popular trade fiction and nonfiction, let them browse the catalog. To check out books, they best sellers, reference books, scholarly publications can use 3M’s own e-reader hardware, which synchro- Main subjects: all nizes with 3M Cloud Library. It doesn’t require a credit card and patrons do not need to buy it. The system is Background: Baker & Taylor’s e-book platform, Axis compatible with PCs, Macs, iPads, and Nooks. 360 (live since late 2011), makes it possible for li- braries to acquire library content—including books, Business Model: 3M Cloud Library operates on a one e-books, audiobooks, videos, and music—in one user/one e-book model. Libraries retain use of pur- place. The content can be read on Blio—ADA-com- chased content even after they leave the service, and pliant multimedia e-reading software that specializes they can transfer content to another platform once their in preserving the look of physical items in digital en- contract expires. 3M also offers a PDA option called the vironments—as well as Barnes & Noble’s Nook, So- “Wish List.” It allows patrons to place titles on a wish ny’s eReader, and Kobo. Librarians can choose from list. If their library decides to purchase a book on this about 400,000 e-books (in ePub, PDF, or .xps format) list, it is automatically delivered to the patron. through Baker & Taylor’s Title Source 3 at the same time they order print titles. The platform surfaces content on a “magic wall,” allowing patrons to check ReportsLibrary Technology ABC-CLIO eBook Collection out the e-books they want, browse by subject, get rec- ommendations for additional reading, and contribute Website: http://ebooks.abc-clio.com book reviews. The platform is fully compatible with Parent company: ABC-CLIO assistive screen-reader technologies, including JAWS, Library markets: academic/research, public, K–12 Window-Eyes, NVDA (nonvisual desktop access), and Platform type: publisher System Access to Go. Benefits for librarians include E-book type: encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks embedded collection development services, full ILS Main subjects: history, social sciences, humanities, integration, immediate activation of ordered titles, LIS (library and information science) and a library-branded platform. alatechsource.org Background: ABC-CLIO’s is a research platform with over 7,000 e-books, ranging from encyclopedias and Business Model: Purchase of any e-book enables a dictionaries to handbooks and guides published by library to circulate the content in all available for- ABC-CLIO as well as its other imprints: Greenwood, mats without needing to buy individual file types. Libraries Unlimited, Praeger, and Linworth. The e- Single-user and multiuser access models from partici- books are cross-searchable and include citations in pating publishers are available as of 2013 (but were 2013 April four formats, e-mail and print capabilities, personal- not available at launch). Baker & Taylor is exploring ized bookmarks and notes, free downloadable MARC other business models, including short-term loans, records, and remote accessibility of content. On the demand-driven acquisition, and classroom adoptions. product’s website, librarians may download (in Ex- It also provides libraries the option to offer content cel) the entire list of titles in the collection, broken purchasing from its Axis 360 service via a Buy Now 15 E-book Platforms for Libraries Mirela Roncevic option, which links to e-commerce transactions that Main subjects: humanities, sciences, arts, social sci- ship directly to patrons’ homes and generate revenue ences for the institution. Background: Books at JSTOR is an initiative by sev- eral university presses (including Yale, Princeton, Co- Books24x7 lumbia, and Cornell, among others) to make their e- books available as part of JSTOR, a research platform Website: www.books24x7.com founded in 1995 by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Parent company: Skillsoft Ireland Limited The 15,000 e-books are cross-searchable with millions Library markets: academic/research, corporate of journal articles and primary sources already on JS- Platform type: aggregator/distributor TOR. (Patrons may select tabs at the top of the Search E-book type: reference books, handbooks, mono- Results page in order to limit results by content type.) graphs, reports A wide range of scholarly disciplines is represented, Main subjects: computer science, engineering, busi- including, for example, technology, history, music, po- ness, government, public administration litical science, education, sociology, business, and law. The platform also includes a million book reviews. Background: A subsidiary of Skillsoft since 2001, Books are preserved in Portico,