e-books: the strategic landscape

Linda BennettGold Leaf

linda@goldleaf.co.uk

• Issues for publishers• Technological issues•Delivery methods•Pricing models•‘Content’ versus existing formats•Large initiatives and directives •Issues for librarians•Things to look out for

Issues for publishersMigration from print to ‘e’Channels of distribution:

AggregatorsRetailersPublisher’s own websiteTo Google or not to Google?

TerritorialityProtection of intellectual propertyCost structuresAuthor royaltiesVisibility – [ISBNs]; ONIX, MARC

21 and all that stuff!Marketing: traditional and Web

2.0.

Technological issuesE-book formats:

PDFePUBXMLHtmlKindleMicrosoft e-readerPalm e-readerSony media

PODAudiobooksDAISYDigital Rights Management tools.

Delivery methodsPAID FOR:PCs onsite, real timePCs remote access, real timePCs or laptops accessed by

downloadVia e-Reader deviceVia mobile phoneVia a VLE‘Do-it-yourself’ digitised by the

library (under digital licence)

NOT PAID FORFree material accessed via the webInstitutional repository.

Pricing models Institutional Licensing

Subscription single year Subscription multi-year Limited by numbers of access Slot models

Institutional Outright sale Single user Multi-user Time limited

Retail models How much to charge? Per device sale Per user sale Book rental Micro purchase Do-it-yourself

Premium pricingFree Plus.

‘Content’Books and journals on the same

platformMulti-publisher options:

CourseSmart, Vitalbook, coursepacks

‘Repurposable’ contentE-only contentImplications for future

development of publications – the move away from the digitised paper product and what it means.

Large Directives and ProjectsGoogleE-books for the reading impairedARROW and EuropeanaThe influence of RROsThe influence of powerful

consortia – e.g., OhioLink.

Issues for LibrariansHow far, how fast?Working with publishers and

aggregators to address:Copyright protectionViable pricingIncreased visibilityFormats and content design‘in perpetuity’Inter-library loans

Balancing budgets versus providing university-standard range

Redefining the role as the clientele moves away from campus life.

Things to look out forThe search engines – all of the big

onesNew pricing models based on the

entry of the retail and educational sectors

Power struggles between publishers and aggregators – except the ones run by library suppliers

E-designed content at last. But librarians must choose between standardisation and innovation

More collaborative relationships across all sectors.

New role definitions

Linda BennettGold Leaf

linda@goldleaf.co.uk