20 October 2008Hildegard Schäffler - ICOLC Fall Meeting Munich

Requirements for E-Book StandardsRequirements for E-Book Standards

2What is the problem?What is the problem?

• E-Books are rapidly gaining ground in libraries, but they still suffer from a lack of standardisation» Cf. ICOLC Working Group on E-Books Standards

• Examples» Business models» Access models» Distribution channels and availability» Metadata» Usability and functionality

How does this compare to other e-resources?

3Business Models - PricingBusiness Models - Pricing

• Pricing issues» Lack of transparency

- E.g. different prices for one and the same book on different aggregator platforms

» Print and e-pricing often unrelated

• E-journals in comparison» Great variety of business models, but subscription model at the title

level consistent» Deep Discount models

4Business Models - TextbooksBusiness Models - Textbooks

• Textbooks are different» Demand for e-books cannot be fully satisfied yet for lack of adequate

business models» Problem: Business models must take into account previous sale of

multiple copies and private student market» Usage surveys show that at least in the short term electronic

availability can generate additional print sales

• Quite unique situation as compared to other e-resources (except for some smaller publishers)

5Business Models - ConsortiaBusiness Models - Consortia

• Consortia models still under development» Not yet offered by every publisher» Model 1: Pick&Choose at the member level with revenue-driven discount

structure- Flexibility at the content level, but administrative overhead

» Model 2: Content Sharing- Access pooling- Subject bundles- Big Deal?

• Consortia models for e-journals» Shared access as defining principle» But: Can Pick&Choose models for e-books address the drawbacks of e-journal

consortia?

6Access ModelsAccess Models

• Database vs. Lending Model» Unrestricted access / simultaneous user access vs. replica of

conventional lending procedure» Lending model illustrates lack of standardisation in business models

and publishers‘ worries about the print market» But: Restricted access will probably survive in order to model the

multiple copy issue of the print world

• Other e-resources in comparison» Lending model unique in e-book market» Why did we accept restrictions with databases in the first place?

7Distribution Channels and AvailabilityDistribution Channels and Availability

• Distribution channels - a maze» Bundles sold directly; single titles often via aggregators» Aggregators only receive a selection of titles, i.e. they cannot offer the

full title portfolio» Aggregators don‘t get the latest titles» New role of subscription agents» Online first?

• E-journals in comparison» Single subscription access also cumbersome» But: no principal restriction of distribution channels» Online first as standard model

8MetadataMetadata

• Free delivery of metadata included in most license agreement» MARC21 standard» But: Data inadequate in terms of

- Actual database fields delivered and quality control- Delivery routines

» Indexing option?

• New quality of outsourcing

• Definition of standards and some degree of quality control on the library side probably unavoidable

9Usability and functionalityUsability and functionality

• Functional features» Still relatively close to the print book» Problem: multimedia and interactive features vs. proprietary reader software» Publisher- and aggregator-specific software solutions vs. local hosting

• Digital Rights Management» Degree of restriction varies considerably» Aggregators: Finding the least common denominator

• Other e-resources in comparison» Similar variety in functionalities offered» But: Enhanced requirements for the monographic format » DRM less restrictive than with e-books

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Thank you very muchThank you very muchfor your attention!for your attention!

schaeffler@bsb-muenchen.dePhone: +49-(0)89-28638-2216