here are lots of questions about OverDrive’s new, forthcoming ebook lending program with Kindle, and the provider gave at least some answers on their blog. Basically, they will be making available the titles already in the OverDrive catalog in a format that can be read on the Kindle platform as well. (“Your existing collection of downloadable eBooks will be available to Kindle customers.”) So this is not an initiative that, at least for now, expands the selection of ebook titles available to library patrons. Amazon spokesperson Kinley Campbell confirmed to us separately that the program is currently designed to supplement […]
Libraries
Amazon Will Finally Work with OverDrive to Let Library Patrons “Borrow” Kindle Books
Library ebook lending looks ready to receive a significant lift as Amazon announced this morning that they will finally work with Overdrive to enable Kindle ebooks for library patrons. The program launches at an unspecified date “later this year.” They say the initiative will work on all Kindle devices as well as of their free ereading apps. (Up until now, Amazon’s Kindle files have been incompatible with Overdrive’s system, which relies on EPUB and Adobe Content Server–neither of which is supported by Amazon.) If a library user creates annotations or bookmarks in a borrowed ebook, those will be preserved by […]
HarperCollins to Cap eBook Loan Licenses
As has been widely reported, HarperCollins announced Friday that for new titles released on or after March 7, library ebook vendors will be able to circulate these titles a maximum of 26 times before the license expires and libraries will need to buy a new license. The news first emerged in a letter from OverDrive CEO Steve Potash to member libraries, which at that point said the distributor was “required to accept and accommodate new terms for eBook lending as established by certain publishers.” The letter further noted that the new limits apply to “all eBook vendors or distributors offering […]
Library Thing Publisher Pages
LibraryThing.com has launched a new free service, LibraryThing for Publishers, starting with Orbit, Zondervan and three other publishers. Open to all, the new feature is designed to let publishers “showcase their new titles and interact with the LibraryThing community.” The pages display bookshelves of the publishers’ titles, link to LT reviews, and more.DescriptionOrbit Books sample
NEA Cuts Big Read Budget
Earlier this month the NEA awarded $1 million in grants for The Big Read program to 75 non-profit groups. That’s down from $3.7 million to 267 groups last year. NEA spokeswoman Liz Stark told the St. Louis Dispatch that the program was scaled back because it is now established and the NEA wants to “fund it at a sustainable level.” She said other groups are expected to take over funding and planning.St. Louis DispatchOriginal NEA release
eDeals: Symtio Sold to Libre Digital; Overdrive Adds Disney and Partners with Internet Archive, As IA Invents Their Own Rules for Lending Older Titles As eBooks
Zondervan has sold the technology and infrastructure behind their Symtio business to LibreDigital (in which Zondervan parent HarperCollins is also an investor). The sale covers “the Symtio e-commerce technology, existing e-commerce contracts and applications, and key e-commerce staff,” but not Symtio’s retail card business, which the release says ” Zondervan is in negotiations to sell separately.” It’s a curious bifurcation, since Symtio has always promoted their “digital product cards” as the heart of the business that lets physical retailers sell and activate cards that allow the downloading of digital media. LibreDigital ceo Russell Reeder says in the announcement they will […]