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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Executive
Director
Nicholas Bogaty
(212)
924-9081
www.openebook.org
Open eBook Forum Announces Library Special Interest Group and Survey–
Group Formed to Address Opportunities of
Burgeoning Library eBook Market and to Conduct Comprehensive eBook Usage in
Libraries Survey
New York, New York, May 20, 2003 – The Open eBook
Forum, www.openebook.org, the trade and
standards association for the eBook industry, today announced the creation of a
Library Special Interest Group (SIG). The group was formed to enable publishers,
eBook resellers, DRM, software and hardware companies to communicate directly
with librarians to better appreciate the opportunities and challenges of service
for libraries and their patrons.
The group meets on a weekly basis via conference calls and
maintains communication through an email list. Participation in the group is
currently open to the public and further information can be found on the Open
eBook Forum (OeBF) website at:
http://www.openebook.org/oebf_groups/library.htm
The group is chaired by Pamela Smith, SVP and Chief
Marketing Officer at Baker & Taylor and Loree Potash, Marketing Director at
OverDrive. Initial members of the group represent some of the following
companies and organizations: ABC-CLIO, Adobe, American Library Association,
Blackwell’s, eBrary, Gale, HarperCollins, Howard
County Library, netLibrary a division of OCLC Online Computer Library Center,
Library System of Lancaster County, University of Rochester Library,
Fictionwise.com, Simon & Schuster, North Carolina State University Libraries,
Follett, Mind Like Water, Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenberg County,
University of Chicago Press, California Digital Library, Queens Borough Public
Library among others.
“One of the most promising things about the SIG is that we
have a place, early on in the incorporation of the eBook business models being
introduced into libraries, to address any issues that could possibly stand in
the way of eBooks being successful in libraries,” stated Pamela Smith, co-chair
of the Library SIG. “There are a lot of questions and newly discovered business
problems and it’s terrific so many of the concerned parties can come together
and work through them.”
“Library interest in eBooks as an important new service for
their readers is high, and adoption rates are growing rapidly. The Library SIG
provides a forum where librarians can engage in discussions with both publishers
and technology companies, and should help all three communities better
understand each other's needs and concerns. In forming the SIG, the OeBF has
made an important step in helping libraries and the industry move into the eBook
era,” said Rick Weingarten, Director, Office for Information Technology Policy
at the American Library Association.
In addition, the OeBF, in conjunction with the American
Library Association (ALA), is developing a comprehensive survey called eBook
Usage in Libraries. One of the first goals of the Library SIG will be to
develop the survey methodology, oversee the distribution of the survey and
analyze and publish the results. The OeBF has engaged Chartula, a consulting
firm specializing in ePublishing and eLearning research, to assist the Library
SIG with the survey. Initial sponsors of the survey include OverDrive, Baker &
Taylor, Adobe, Greenwood Publishing Group, Microsoft and Palm Digital Media.
Details on survey sponsorships can be found on the OeBF website at:
http://www.openebook.org/membership/sponsorships/surveysponsorship.htm
Robin Bryan, from the Public Library of Charlotte and
Mecklenburg County and a member of the survey sub-committee said, “There isn’t a
lot of research out there on eBook usage and acceptance in public libraries. The
survey the OEBF is developing in conjunction with the ALA is not duplicating any
previous efforts, in fact it will really expand what information is out there
and help us learn a tremendous amount about public opinion and approval.”
Another added benefit of the Library SIG, according to
Robin Bryan is the opportunity to talk with and learn from other librarians
about their various attempts to introduce eBooks. “It’s a great way to gauge
where we are, versus where we’ve been, versus where we’re going. This group has
terrific potential to make significant advances on how eBooks are accepted and
used in our libraries.”
More information about the Library SIG and how to
participate can be found on the OeBF website at:
http://www.openebook.org/oebf_groups/library.htm
About the OeBF
The Open eBook Forum,
www.openebook.org, is an international non-profit trade and standards
organization for the electronic book publishing industry.
Gold Sponsoring Members include technology leaders
Microsoft Corporation, Adobe Systems, Palm Digital Media and OverDrive, Inc.
A complete OeBF member list and membership information can
be found on the OeBF website at
www.openebook.org
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