◇OverDrive Updates School Library Offerings
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/overdrive-updates-school-library-offerings/
(November 7, 2013 Digital Book World)
OverDrive school digital libraries update with enhanced metadata, recommendation features
When teachers, students and parents visit their school’s OverDrive-powered digital library website, they will find a fully-updated user interface providing a more informative, user-friendly experience. New features include enhanced metadata, robust search tools, filters and improved title detail pages and menus to make finding a title easier. Users are now able to search for titles based on standardized reading level information such as Lexile, ATOS and Accelerated Reader scores. This new metadata will assist teachers in identifying the most appropriate content for their students.
Users are able to adjust their lending periods and account settings quickly to align with their preferences. The updated digital library websites also use a responsive design, providing the same user experience regardless of what computer, tablet or device is being used.
Students have the ability to select from three different visual themes. The improved look provides a cleaner navigational view customized to the user’s taste. Students can share what they’re reading via social networking tools and easily add titles to their wish lists to read at a later date. Newly designed help pages, created specifically for students, have been added as well.
Recommend to Library, OverDrive’s enhancement that lets users suggest titles for libraries to add to their digital collection, is now rolling out for our school partner websites. This feature will enable students to view OverDrive’s catalog of titles not currently in their school’s digital library.
Recommendations will be tracked in OverDrive Marketplace for staff members to review and add to their carts. If a school purchases titles that a student recommends, the student will be alerted via email so he or she can check out the book.
With the Recommend to School feature, students will not have access to OverDrive’s full collection. They will be limited to viewing titles with any of the following criteria:
・ Titles with Juvenile or Young Adult subject categories
・ Titles that have school metadata, such as Lexile/ATOS scores
・ Titles that have been added to other school library collections
Pilots for the Recommend to School feature will begin soon with a full rollout expected later this year. Visit OverDrive at AASL in Hartford, Conn., November 14-16, at booth #313 to learn about all of the new school digital library enhancements. For more information, contact an Account Specialist.
◇Neues buchreport.webinar zur Erstellung von Fixed-Layout-E-Books
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/verlage/verlage_nachricht/datum/2013/11/04/fixed-layout-kommt-in-bewegung.htm
(04. November 2013 buchreport)
Angereicherte Bilderbucher, kostengunstig erstellt - mit der von der Oetinger-Tochter Tigerbooks Media programmierten Sofware TigerCreate.
Wahrend sich die Verlage bei flussorientierten E-Book-Formaten inzwischen auf einige Standards einstellen konnen, herrscht bei Fixed-Layout-Formaten weiter die grose Kleinteiligkeit. Doch der Markt entwickelt sich schnell, und inzwischen gibt es z.B. fur Kinderbuch-, Ratgeber- oder Schulbuchverlage gute Moglichkeiten, die eigenen Titel ohne grosen Aufwand anzureichern und direkt mehrere Plattformen und Distributionskanale (mit unterschiedlichen Displayverhaltnissen) anzusteuern. Das neue Motto: niedrigere Produktionskosten, grosere Marktabdeckung.
In einem Webinar zum Thema ?Fixed Layout kommt in Bewegung / Status Quo: Formate - Moglichkeiten - Tools zur effizienten Herstellung“ analysiert buchreport die Herausforderungen und stellt verschiedene Software-Produkte zur Erstellung von attraktiven Fixed-Layout-E-Books vor.
Themen und Fragestellungen, die im Webinar behandelt werden:
Welche Unterschiede ergeben sich zwischen Apps und E-Book-Formaten?
Welche Standards gibt es bei Fixed-Layout-Titeln?
Welche Moglichkeiten der Anreicherung von Fixed-Layout-Titeln gibt es?
Welche Herausforderungen ergeben sich fur die Verlage?
Welche Software-Produkte bzw. Losungen gibt es auf dem Markt (u.a. TigerCreate, Aquafadas)?
◇Are UK Publishers Innovating in the Ebook Era
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/are-uk-publishers-innovating-in-the-ebook-era/
(November 1, 2013 Digital Book World, James Woollam)
Members of UK publishing group Byte the Book will meet in London on November 18th to engage in a discussion on “What is the future for publishers in the digital age.” The discussion is set to focus on whether authors need publishers, a topic that always ignites debate. This will be the first Byte the Book event I attend and I’m looking forward to the session and the opportunity to meet other members.
Reflecting on this topic, there are some encouraging signs that UK publishers are now deep into the kind of innovation that will not only give them a future, but that will provide a level of value that even the most entrepreneurial of authors would struggle to create themselves.
In his report of the Frankfurt Book Fair here on Digital Book World, Sameer Shariff highlighted what he saw as the widespread influence of digital publishing and a maturity of understanding and acceptance of digital business models among publishers at the fair.
This maturity was echoed by Stephen Page, CEO of Faber & Faber in this entertaining post where he challenges his business, and indeed all of us, to maintain the momentum of disruption and change as we seek new business models, learn from other industries and grasp new opportunities.
All fine in principle, but is all this thinking supported in practice- Two recent partnership announcements would suggest so.
Random House working with leading UK grocery store Sainsbury’s to create short cookery ebooks is one good example. Shorts will sell at £0.99p ($1.58) and the project seems to have been launched in response to insight from Sainsbury’s customers, which demonstrates an agility to meet customer demand by both parties.
The partnership between HarperCollins and Foyles to deliver print and ebook bundling is another. Coming on the back of the U.S. launch of Amazon Matchbook, it’s interesting to see publishers and booksellers explore the bundling opportunity further. Whether this is a commercially attractive proposition is a question for another post!
Exploring the breadth of new business models, engaging and negotiating with major store chains and agreeing partnership terms (and all the associated operational requirements) are all difficult tasks for individual authors. So, as I look forward to the Byte the Book event, I’m expecting to see a strong case to be made for the future of publisher’s in the digital age.
◇Inclusive Publishing on the Horizon: Introducing the AAP EPUB 3 Implementation Project White Paper
https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/inclusive-publishing-horizon-introducing-aap-epub-3-implementation-project-white
(Wednesday, October 30, 2013 National Federation of the Blind)
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has been engaged in every aspect of the publishing marketplace to ensure that we continue to move toward the standard of "same book, same time, same price!" In other words our vision for the future is that a blind person (or anyone else requiring specific design features is a digital book to gain access to the content) will be able to buy the same digital copy of the book at the same time as everyone else and for the same price. At the 2013 NFB National Convention in Orlando, Thomas H. Allen, President and CEO, Association of American Publishers (AAP), announced the EPUB 3 Implementation Project (listen to the audio of his presentation, "A Collaboration That Enhances Opportunity: The Association of American Publishers and the National Federation of the Blind Change Possibilities for Literacy"). The NFB was pleased to receive news of this project as we have been a leading champion for EPUB 3 and the promise of accessibility that it represents.
The EPUB 3 Implementation Project is a partnership between publishers, retailers, digital content distributors, device makers, reading systems providers, assistive technology experts, and standards organizations?with the support and engagement of leading advocates for people with disabilities. Its goal is to rapidly advance implementation of the EPUB 3 standard in the marketplace, with a special emphasis on enabling accessibility. A white paper resulting from the project examines the current state of the EPUB 3 standard and its features among publishers and reading systems, and identifies the top ten priority features for implementation of EPUB 3 by reading systems developers and publishers, along with thirteen best-practice tips for publishers in the creation of accessible EPUB 3 publications.
We urge all in the publishing industry to give this white paper serious attention and make the effective and speedy adoption of EPUB 3 a priority for your individual publishing organizations. The AAP is to be commended for taking this important step to recognize EPUB 3. The sooner that publishers begin integration of EPUB 3, the closer we will be to a truly inclusive publishing environment.
Read the AAP EPUB 3 Implementation Project white paper in HTML format or EPUB format.
◇大学図書館における電子書籍と冊子体の価格差調査(文献紹介)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24709
(2013年10月30日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
College & Research Libraries(C&RL)誌が"Cost Differentials between E-Books and Print in Academic Libraries"と題する論文のプレプリントを公開しました(2013年10月受理、2015年1月出版予定)。執筆者は米国のAuburn University at Montgomery(AUM)のTimothy P. Bailey氏らです。
AUMで行われた調査によると、AUMでの電子書籍に対する平均コストは、対応するタイトルの冊子体の平均コストよりも高額であったとのことです。また、この価格差は全てのLC分類の資料に一貫して当てはまり、タイトルの出版元が大学出版か商業出版かは関係なかったとのことです。
◎Cost Differentials between E-Books and Print in Academic Libraries(C&RL) http://crl.acrl.org/content/early/2013/10/23/crl13-542.full.pdf
◎Cost Differentials between E-Books and Print in Academic Libraries(C&RL) http://crl.acrl.org/content/early/2013/10/23/crl13-542.short
◇米コピーライト・クリアランス・センター(CCC)が2013年度に著作権者に支払った料金は1億8,800万ドルと公表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24706
(2013年10月30日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
Publishers weeklyの記事によると、米コピーライト・クリアランス・センター(Copyright Clearance Center:CCC)が2013年度(会計年度の終了は6月30日)に著作権者に支払った料金は1億8,800万ドルであったとのことです。2012年度の1億7,940万ドルと比べて5%増加したとのことです。
また、同センターがこの10年間で徴収し、支払った著作権使用料は、14億ドルにのぼるとのことです。この料金には、RightsLink、Open Access and APC Management、Republication Serviceなどの新しいデジタルサービスもその対象に含まれているとのことです。
◎CCC Paid a Record $188.7 Million in Royalties in 2013(Publishers weekly 2013/10/28付け) http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/copyright/article/59732-ccc-paid-a-record-188-7-million-in-royalties-in-2013.html
◎Copyright Clearance Center http://www.copyright.com/
◎Copyright Clearance Center Distributes More Than $188.7 Million to Rightsholders in FY’13(Library Technology Guide 2013/10/29付けの記事) http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=18521
◇EPUB 3 Implementation Project White Paper Now Online
http://publishers.org/press/117/
(Monday, 28 October 2013 The Association of American Publishers)
Developed as a critical element in the cross-industry initiative, the EPUB 3 Implementation Project White Paper is now available online in MS Word format, in HTML format and EPUB format.
The Project is a partnership between publishers, retailers, digital content distributors, device makers, reading systems providers, assistive technology experts and standards organizations, with the support and engagement of leading advocates for people with disabilities. Its goal is to rapidly advance implementation of the EPUB 3 standard in the marketplace.
What follows is a summary of the White Paper’s outcomes:
- Examination of the current state of the EPUB 3 standard and its features among publishers and reading systems
- The top 10 priority features for implementation of EPUB 3 by reading systems developers and publishers. The identification of these key items by the diverse group was defined as a critical goal of the project
- The 13 top best practice tips for publishers in the creation of accessible EPUB 3 publications
Read the National Federation of the Blind blog on the EPUB 3 Implementation Project
More than 80 people have come together to advance the project including the White Paper. Its goals have been to identify key features for the implementation of EPUB 3 by reading systems and best practices for the creation of EPUBs by publishers, with a special emphasis on enabling accessibility. This step is critical since many publishers plan to distribute large numbers of EPUB 3 files in first quarter 2014 and are seeking consistent technical standards in the ecosystem.
◇米FCCが特例処置、電子書籍端末へのアクセシビリティ機能搭載義務を3ヶ月間だけ免除
http://hon.jp/news/modules/rsnavi/showarticle.php?id=4886
(2013-10-24 12:01:42 hon.jp DayWatch)
米国の通信行政ニュースブログ「Telecom Law Monitor」によると、米FCCは現地時間10月22日、Amazon・Kobo・Sonyのメーカー3社が今年8月に電子書籍端末へのアクセシビリティ機能搭載義務をなくすよう嘆願書を提出した件について、調査期間を来年1月まで延長すると発表した模様。
アクセシビリティ機能とは、視覚障がい者でも機器端末が行なえるようにするためのユーザーインターフェイス機能で、通常は合成音声システムを使う。米国には、公共機関・公共施設などが視覚障がい者に対応しない機器を推奨・導入してはいけないという法律(ADA法)があるが、FCCでも同様な規制を導入したばかりだった。
今回の調査期間の延長は、今月発生した連邦政府機関の閉鎖騒動などの影響によるもので、特例処置してそれまでの3ヶ月間は審査される電子書籍端末ハードウェアへのアクセシビリティ機能搭載義務は免除されるという。【hon.jp】
◎Telecom Law Monitorの記事( http://www.telecomlawmonitor.com/2013/10/articles/fcc/fcc-extends-review-of-ereader-coalition-petition/ )
◇OAPEN-NLが最終報告書を公表−オランダでは「OAでの刊行は書籍の売り上げに影響はない」
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24668
(2013年10月24日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年10月22日、OAPEN-NLが、オランダにおける単行書のオープンアクセスに関する調査の最終報告書“A project exploring Open Access monograph publishing in the Netherland Final Report”を公表しました。OAPEN-NLは、人文・社会科学分野の単行書のオープンアクセス(OA)を推進する欧州のコンソーシアムOAPENの、オランダにおける共同研究プロジェクトです。
紹介文及びアブストラクトによると、今回の調査では、2011年6月から2012年11月にかけて9つの出版社からOAで出版された50の単行書について、従来の形式でも刊行し、利用、売り上げ、コストについてデータが収集されたとのことです。その結果、売り上げについては、OAが売り上げにネガティブな影響をもたらしたとのエビデンスは得られなかったとのことです。
報告書では、図書館、出版社等に対する提言も示されています。
◎Publishing in Open Access increases usage and has no effect on book sales(OAPEN-NL, 2013/10/23付け) http://www.oapen.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58:english&catid=49:english&Itemid=63
◎Publishing in Open Access increases usage and has no effect on book sales(SURF, 2013/10/22付け) http://www.surf.nl/en/actueel/Pages/PublishinginOpenAccessincreasesusageandhasnoeffectonbooksales.aspx
◎Report: A project exploring Open Access monograph publishing in the Netherlands(SURF, 2013/10/22付け) http://www.surf.nl/en/publicaties/Pages/ReportAprojectexploringOpenAccessmonographpublishingintheNetherlands.aspx
◎OAPEN-NL A project exploring Open Access monograph publishing in the Netherland Final Report (2013/10、pdf98ページ) http://www.surf.nl/nl/publicaties/Documents/OAPEN%20Rapport_%20A%20project%20exploring%20Open%20Access%20monograph%20publishing%20in%20the%20Netherlands_22102013.pdf
◇障害を持つ人も利用しやすいeラーニングをテーマとしたオンラインシンポジウムが2013年12月16日に開催予定
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24663
(2013年10月23日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
Web Accessibility Initiative(WAI)のWGであるResearch and Development Working Group (RDWG)が、2013年12月16日に、障害を持つ人も利用しやすいeラーニングをテーマとしたオンラインシンポジウム"Accessible E-Learning Symposium"を開催する予定とのことです。
このシンポジウムは、研究者、トレーナー、開発業者、障害を持つユーザー等を招き、アクセスしやすいeラーニングのデザイン、作成、利用などについて検討するもので、MOOCsを含むeラーニングのアクセシビリティの課題を検討し、さらなる改善を目的としているとのことです。
◎Accessible E-Learning - Online Symposium 16 December 2013 http://www.w3.org/WAI/RD/2013/e-learning/
◎ACCESSIBLE E-LEARNING ONLINE SYMPOSIUM CALL FOR PAPERS(2013/10/22付の記事) http://www.w3.org/blog/news/archives/3328
◎Research and Development Working Group (RDWG) http://www.w3.org/WAI/RD/
◎Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) http://www.w3.org/WAI/
◇Webcast | 10 Things to Consider In Developing Your Digital Publishing Strategy
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/webcast-10-things-to-consider-in-developing-your-digital-publishing-strategy/
(October 23, 2013 Digital Book World)
According to the Pew Research Center, 23 percent of Americans 16 and older read ebooks within the last year. With more and more content being consumed online, publishers are going beyond tactical one-offs, and taking a serious strategic look at the transition to digital publishing as a core part of their business. In this session, we will review the most important factors publishers need to consider.
The webcast will feature a presentation by Stanford University’s HighWire Press, the technology partner and platform to 150 scholarly publishers, on the decision process they went through when selecting a strategic partner to enhance their ebooks product offering.
Join Digital Book World, Tizra, and HighWire to get the inside scoop on what to consider in building your digital business.
Attendees Will Learn
- What questions to ask stakeholders regarding distribution, audience, monetization and more
- How to leverage technology to improve discoverability of content and create new revenue opportunities
- What to look for in a strategic partner to supplement your in-house staff and speed your time-to-market
- How to future-proof your offering against the ever-changing e-reading landscape
- What factors HighWire considered in choosing Tizra to power their ebook publishing platform
Participants
- Abe Dane, President and COO of Tizra, Inc.
- Melinda Boland, Sr. Product Manager, eBooks at HighWire Press
Moderator
- Jeremy Greenfield, Editorial Director, Digital Book World
Who Should Attend
- Digital publishers interested in offering online content direct to their audience
- Educational publishers
- Scholarly & professional publishers
- Associations & societies who publish or sell research, journals, or online content
This webcast is a service of Digital Book World and sponsored by Tizra. A recording of the webcast will be available to Digital Book World members.
Register today!
◇Overdrive Attains 9,000 eBooks from Macmillan
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/overdrive-attains-9000-ebooks-from-macmillan
(OCT 22, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good e-Reader Blog)
Macmillan and Overdrive reached an agreement earlier in the year to experiment with eBooks into the library system. The deal was select titles from their Minotaur imprint and it looks like all sides were happy with the deal. This has prompted Macmillan to contribute close to 9,000 digital titles for entry into the Overdrive system.
Most of the eBooks available are considered backlist titles, which means they are older and have been around awhile. Still, library patrons will still be able to read stuff by Emily Giffin, Robert Jordan and Janet Evanovich.
These new additions will carry the same terms as current Macmillan titles: 52 checkouts or two years, whichever comes first. Libraries that want to purchase these titles can now do so via the Overdrive Marketplace.
◇New Amazon Kindle Fire tablets with increased accessibility - RNIB
http://www.rnib.org.uk/livingwithsightloss/reading/news/Pages/new_kindle_fire.aspx
(22 October 2013 Royal National Institute of Blind)
Blind and partially sighted people will be able to enjoy improved access to the UK's largest source of eBooks thanks to new accessibility features in the latest range of tablet devices from Amazon.
The new range of Kindle Fire tablets will allow you to access Amazon's two million titles using:
increased font size with the magnification function
the built-in screen reader or
an electronic braille display
You will also have the opportunity to listen to the 100,000 audio books through Audible UK directly on the device, and you can access TV and film content from LoveFilm through the device's improved media player.
We'll be updating our Kindle page with more information soon.
RNIB consulted during development
RNIB was consulted during the development and testing phase of these new devices. We're really pleased that Amazon is taking accessibility so seriously and that they have taken so much of our feedback on board.
We'd like to see other manufacturers take the same approach to accessibility so that blind and partially sighted people can enjoy the same choice of technology and apps that sighted people benefit from.
Learn about eBooks
You can find out more about eBooks for blind and partially sighted people in our eBooks section. Our technology support squad can also help you in setting up any device.
◇米国の大手出版社Macmillan社、図書館向けの電子書籍の提供を拡大
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24641
(2013年10月21日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年10月17日付のPublisher’s Weeklyの記事によると、Macmillan社が図書館向けの電子書籍貸出サービスを拡大し、既刊の電子書籍11,000タイトル以上すべてについて提供する予定であるとのことです。
同社の電子書籍は、OverDrive社、3M社、Baker & Taylor社のサービスを通じて図書館に提供されるとのことです。
◎Macmillan to Offer Entire E-book Backlist to Libraries(Publisher’s Weekly 1013/10/17付けの記事) http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/59578-macmillan-to-offer-entire-e-book-backlist-to-libraries.html
◎Macmillan Publishers Opens Entire eBook Backlist Catalog to Public Libraries via Axis 360 (Baker & Taylor 2013/10/18付けの記事) http://www.btol.com/viewnews.cfm?press_id=355&typ=c
◎Expansion: Macmillan Making Complete Ebook Backlist Available for Library Lending(INFOdocket 2013/10/17付け記事) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/10/17/macmillan-increasing-number-of-books-available-to-libraries-entire-backlist-now-available/
◇New Data From Pew on E-Readers and Tablets
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/new-data-from-pew-on-e-readers-and-tablets/
(October 18, 2013 Digital Book World)
Mobile reading in on the rise and data out today suggests that more consumers will be reading on tablet-sized devices. 24% of Americans surveyed have an e-reader and 35% have a tablet device, according to the latest report from The Pew Research Center’s Internet Project.
PEW
“Mobile connectivity continues to grow and its impact is much broader than business stories about which computer makers are selling the most units,” Kristen Purcell, Associate Director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project, noted. “We see mobile connectivity affecting everything from the way people get news and learn to the way they take care of their health and the way they share their lives through social media. It’s been a rapid, broad reaching change that will likely continue for some time.”
◎The full report:http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Tablets-and-ereaders.aspx
◇Students Found to Rely on Pirated Textbooks to Save Costs
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/students-found-to-rely-on-pirated-textbooks-to-save-costs
(OCT 18, 2013 By Sovan Mandal Good e-Reader Blog)
A study conducted by NetNames has revealed an unlikely source for the bulk of ebook piracy: students. The online security company further revealed that the extent of piracy is even more startling, with no less than 76% of digital content meant for academic available to be downloaded free from pirate sites. NetNames searched for 50 specific textbooks across five disciplines - medicine, mathematics, science, engineering, and business - and found 38 to be available from one e-book sharing site completely free.
Experts pegged the high rate of piracy as far as academic ebooks are concerned to the high price tag that these typically cost. Some of the ebooks can be priced as high as £80 - £90, which has forced the students to look for other ways of acquiring them. The typical mindset at work here is that many of the ebooks will be of use to them for a few months to about a year at the most, which prompts them to seek other alternatives so as not to end up drawing too much from their student finance loans.
“It’s something we’ve been talking to publishers about. We talk to all content owners about this sort of thing. The best way to beat piracy is to get your content out there, to give it to people in some way or make them buy it in some simple, cheap, easy way,” David Price, NetNames director of piracy analysis.
However, chief executive of Publishers Association Richard Mollet doesn’t seem t too concerned about the finding, in spite of piracy proving to be a major issue in the digital content segment.
“About a quarter of all novels bought in the UK are bought as e-books, so as that digital market grows, we’re bound to see a little bit of piracy alongside it. But I have to say, it’s a very small issue compared with the sort of levels we see in film and music. E-books are nowhere near that,” said Mollet.
This is a bitter pill to swallow for companies such as Barnes and Noble, Google, and Amazon who spent millions of dollars making their own digital textbook marketplace.
◇Royal National Institute of Blind People Consulted by Amazon in Kindle HDX Development
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/royal-national-institute-of-blind-people-consulted-by-amazon-in-kindle-hdx-development
(2013年10月18日 By Michael Kozlowski Good e-Reader Blog)
mazon does not have the most glorious track record when it comes to making their devices accessible to people with vision problems. The company used to include a headphone jack in their prior Kindle models and decided to discontinue it due to competitive nature of the North American market. This has resulted in rampant protests by the National Federation of the Blind. Amazon at least is starting to take the issue of greater accessibility seriously by consulting with the Royal National Institute of Blind People in the development of the new line of HDX tablets.
The new accessible devices mean that blind and partially sighted people will be able read the full range of Kindle books, newspapers and journals in a variety of ways. The built-in screen reader allows readers to listen to titles whilst the magnification function enlarges the screen view. The device can also be used with an electronic braille display and the audio book player also supports accessibility.
The device offers access to TV and film content from LoveFilm through the device’s improved media player, meaning that a blind user can enjoy the tablet’s full range of features independently.
RNIB firmly believes that blind and partially sighted people should have access to the same choice of books as sighted people and its work encompasses both the digital and traditional worlds of publishing. Although not everyone will benefit from these new devices, increasing numbers of blind and partially sighted people are using new technology and by working collaboratively with the publishing and technology industry, the charity wants to make sure accessibility is at the fore of all new developments.
Blind reader Gary said “I feel like I have been set free in a sweet shop! The whole of the Kindle catalogue is now available to me on a Kindle device not only in synthetic speech but in braille using my electronic braille display as well”.
Some of the new features in the HDX line of tablets include Voice Guide technology will allow menu navigation to be read aloud to the user and Voice Guide Navigation will tell users what they click on. For example, if you are clicking on an ebook, it will tell you what book it is and then read the book to you when you open it.
◇McGraw-Hill Education Launches Higher Ed Adaptive Math Platform
http://goodereader.com/blog/digital-publishing/mcgraw-hill-education-launches-higher-ed-adaptive-math-platform
(OCT 16, 2013 By Mercy Pilkington Good e-Reader Blog)
Higher education in the US is facing an alarming trend: as tuition costs increase, the graduation rates among students who needed some level of core subject remediation is decreasing. Research indicates that this is partly due to students who need developmental coursework to prepare for higher classes are being incorrectly placed in courses, leading to drop-outs and failure to attend the class.
Today, McGraw-Hill Education launched a platform aimed at correctly identifying the needs of students who might need some measure of support in math or science classes. The ALEKS Placement program helps to identify areas of need and more accurately recommend courses that meet those needs for students, with the goal of progressing beyond remediation and into credit-earning courses as quickly as possible. This is done through locating the individual student’s “ceiling of knowledge,” or level of mastery.
“Research tells us that students who are incorrectly placed in courses become frustrated, leading to thousands of students who were accepted to college to never show up to class. What’s more, less than 1 in 10 remedial students graduate from community colleges within three years, and we know that inaccurate placement contributes to this problem,” said Brian Kibby, president of McGraw-Hill Higher Education, in a press release.
The online format of the program lets students work at their own pace and achieve assessment benchmarks on a time frame that works for them. At work in over seventy colleges during this initial testing year, some schools saw as much as a 24% increase in students’ completion of higher math courses, as well as a ten percent decrease in the numbers of students dropping math classes due to unpreparedness. More information about ALEKS Placement can be found at ALEKS.com.
◇Copyright and Open Access: The Future of Publishing
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/copyright-and-open-access-the-future-of-publishing
(OCT 11, 2013 By Mercy Pilkington Good e-Reader Blog)
Frankfurt Book Fair has grown into an event that encompasses so much about the publishing industry, with special events focused on self-publishing and six different exhibit halls dedicated to various aspects of digital publishing. But what once was known to be simply a rights fair still serves as a hub of copyright issue, as evidenced by the Copyright Clearance Center’s panel, “Open Access: The Force Remaking Publishing.” Good e-Reader covered the event live, then sat down with CCC’s Christopher Kenneally, Director of Business Development, to talk about why open access?specifically in research and scholarly publishing?is such a vital force in publishing.
“The idea that a government would have a relationship with publishing is one that’s pretty well accepted around the world, except in the United States,” Kenneally explained of the panel. “Even in the UK, it has a relationship. People marvel at the extensiveness of this whole conference, but you can’t tell me that German taxpayer euros aren’t heavily invested in this. They have decided that it’s a better policy to support [publishers] and what they do.”
Interestingly, the government does have a hand in the publishing industry in the US in terms of copyright legislation. While the rights of content creators are protected under established law, that seems to be the extent of the government’s involvement with publishers. According to the panelists, however, the UK has adopted an open access policy towards the publishing of research that is government funded, meaning that research is available worldwide, but as one of the first country’s to take such a broad policy towards scholarly publishing, they are not benefiting in kind from access to research conducted outside the country.
“There’s almost no significant research team today that doesn’t have some sort of global character to it. It might be based in the UK, but the researchers are in the Netherlands, in the US, in Japan, in China, wherever they are. It has an impact on US publishers. Half of the IEEE membership is outside the US, so when someone sneezes in the UK about open access, they catch the cold back at IEEE. There’s this public policy goal, which is shared by the US and the EU, to make information more accessible.”
The Office of Scientific and Technology earlier this year outlined a policy around government research, effectively stating that any organization of a certain size who receives government funding to conduct research will have to make that research information publicly accessible. In the EU, they’re also working on a variety of open access strategies.
“The problem is, the definition that might be agreed upon in the UK by what they mean by open access might not be the same in the US. Some open access materials are free and unconditional, some of them have certain kinds of conditions, almost all of them have attached to them the Creative Commons buy license or buy-nc, which is non-commercial. But within Creative Commons there’s no real commercial reuse policy. In the past, researchers gave their copyright to publishers and publishers took responsibility for protecting the work.
“What happens in the UK matters to US publishers, and to a US audience. If it’s about a particular gene or particular disease, that matters to the whole world. We will benefit from making it available.”
◇3M社、図書館向けの電子書籍サービス"3M Cloud Library"に、電子書籍の購入ができる"Buy and Donate"機能を導入
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24589
(2013年10月11日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米3M社が、同社の図書館向け電子書籍サービス"3M Cloud Library"のサイトから、Kobo社のサイトにリンクし、電子書籍を購入できるような"Buy and Donate"機能を新しく設けました。この機能を使って得られた売上の一部は、3M社からサービスを導入した図書館に対して、その図書館が"3M Cloud Library"で電子書籍を追加購入する際の資金として寄付されるとのことです。
◎3M Cloud Library Introduces "Buy and Donate" Program Supported by Kobo(3M) http://news.3m.com/press-release/company/3m-cloud-library-introduces-buy-and-donate-program-supported-kobo
◇3M and Kobo Sign Partership for Paid eBooks for Libraries
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/3m-and-kobo-sign-partership-for-paid-ebooks-for-libraries
(OCT 09, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good e-Reader Blog)
The 3M Cloud Library service has just inked a deal with Kobo to allow libraries to sell eBooks on their websites. When patrons click the BUY button, they will be taken to the Kobo Bookstore to finalize their digital book purchases. 3M will donate a portion of each book sale to the library for use in purchasing additional eBooks from the 3M Cloud Library. With library budgets under constant pressure, this additional revenue stream can be a valuable way to enhance collections.
“With this program, a portion of the profits from an eBook sale will be donated to the library,” said Matt Tempelis, Global Business Manager for 3M Library Systems. “Kobo is a company that stands for Readers, and as such, emerged as the ideal partner for this initiative. We are excited to work with them to support libraries through eBook purchases.”
The new eBook purchase program will be available to all 500 libraries that currently deal with 3M. It is poised to launch in the middle of November and should give libraries the ability to opt into the program or not. This move further solidifies that libraries are starting to act as retailers, much to the chagrin of the ALA.
◇南アフリカの電話会社が携帯電話で図書のフルテキストデータを配信するキャンペーン(記事紹介)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24534
(2013年10月7日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年10月3日、広告、デザイン、技術産業等に関するニュースを扱うウェブサイトPSFKに、南アフリカに拠点をもつ電話会社であるMTN Groupが、広告代理店であるMetropolitanRepublic Groupと提携して行った、ウガンダでの図書へのアクセス増加のためのキャンペーンについての記事が掲載されています。これは、ウガンダの新聞の印刷広告と、携帯電話を使った"The Everywhere Library"と呼ばれるキャンペーンで、新聞に掲載された図書の写真に書かれているコード番号を利用者が携帯電話に入力すると、キャンペーン期間中、無料で図書のフルテキストデータを受信できたとのことです。このキャンペーンは4週間行われ、アフリカと中東地域の情報産業界における賞であるLoerie awardsで複数の賞を受賞したとのことです。
◎Cell Phone Libraries Offer Books To Every Ugandan Home And School(psfk 2013/10/3) http://www.psfk.com/2013/10/virtual-libraries-uganda.html
◎MTN’s Project Uganda scoops a Loeries Grand Prix (adlip) http://www.adlip.com/mtns-everywhere-library-scoops-a-loeries-grand-prix/
◎MTN http://www.mtn.com
◎MetropolitanRepublic Group http://www.metropolitanrepublic.com/
◎LOERIES http://www.loeries.com/default.aspx?link=site_home
◇電子書籍市場動向レポート“The Global eBook: A report on market trends and developments”、2013年秋版が公開
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24507
(2013年10月2日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
Rudiger Wischenbart Content and Consulting社が、"The Global eBook: A report on market trends and developments"を2013年10月付けで公開しています。このレポートは、米国、英国、欧州諸国(東欧を含む)、BRICs(ブラジル、ロシア、インド、中国)、およびアラブの電子書籍の市場動向を対象とするものです。2011年秋から年2回刊行されており、これまでO'Reilly Media社が刊行してきましたが、今回からRudiger Wischenbart Content and Consulting社が刊行するとのことです。
同レポートは、Rudiger Wischenbart Content and Consulting社のウェブサイトで、PDF形式で掲載されています。また、ePub形式でも公開されており、KindleやApple iTunesなどの主要な電子書籍のプラットフォームからダウンロードできます。なお、プロモーション期間である2013年11月1日(現地時間)までは無料でダウンロードでき、期間終了後は29.95ユーロで販売されるとのことです。
◎The Global eBook report update fall 2013 is out http://www.global-ebook.com/
◎The Global eBook: A report on market trends and developments http://www.wischenbart.com/upload/Global-Ebook-Report2013_final03.pdf
◎Rudiger Wischenbart Content and Consulting http://www.wischenbart.com/
◇米国議会図書館、障害者向けデジタル資料を利用できるiOSアプリをリリース
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24469
(2013年9月27日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年9月19日、米国議会図書館の視覚障害者及び身体障害者のための全国図書館サービス(National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped:NLS)が、iOS用アプリ“BARD Mobile”をリリースしました。
これは、NLSのデジタル録音資料のダウンロードサービスBRAD(Braille and Audio Reading Download)の提供コンテンツを、iPhoneやiPad、iPod Touchにダウンロードして利用できるものです。Bluetoothを介して点字ディスプレイとつなげることで、点字資料も利用可能になるとのことです。
◎BARD Mobile https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bard-mobile/id705229586?mt=8
◎Library of Congress Braille and Talking-Book Program Releases Book Download App through Apple (Library of Congress 2013/9/24付けの記事) http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2013/13-167.html
◎New: National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Releases BARD iOS App (INFOdocket 2013/9/20付けの記事) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/09/20/new-national-library-service-for-the-blind-and-physically-handicapped-releases-bard-ios-app/
◇電子書籍リーダーは、失読症の人の読書速度と理解力を向上させる
http://japan.internet.com/interestingly/20130926/1.html
(2013年9月26日 / 19:30 japan.internet.com 編集部)
米国スミソニアン学術協会の研究者は2013年9月18日、電子書籍リーダーが失読症(ディスレクシア)の人の読書を手助けできるとする研究結果を発表した。
失読症には様々な種類があり、電子書籍リーダーはそのすべての症例に効果があるわけではないという。だが少なくとも、一般的な紙の書籍では1ページあたりの行数、あるいは1行あたりの文字数が多過ぎるため、文字の認識ができなくなるタイプの失読症には効果があるそうだ。
同研究を指揮したスミソニアン宇宙物理観測所の Matthew H. Schneps 氏は次のように説明している。
「調査対象となった視覚的注意に問題を持つ失読症の人のうち、少なくとも3人に1人は、電子書籍リーダーの利用で読書能力に改善が見られた」
Schneps 氏が率いる研究者チームは、iPod touch などの小型のデバイスを利用して失読症の人の読解力を調査。多くの場合、電子書籍デバイスの利用は、読書速度だけでなく、テキストの読解力も向上させることがわかったという。
研究者チームが調査対象としたのは、米国ボストンの Lnadmark 高校に通う失読症の生徒103人。チームは生徒達に、紙に印刷されたテキストと、1行に2〜3語だけを表示するよう設定された電子書籍デバイスを渡し、それぞれのテキストに対する理解力をテストした。その結果、電子書籍デバイスでテキストを読んだ場合の方が、紙に印刷されたものを読んだ場合より、読書速度と理解力が飛躍的に高まることが明らかになった。
研究者チームは、数語だけを表示する小さなデバイスの小さな画面は、ページ全体に文字が印刷された紙の書籍よりも、読者のフォーカスを狭め、集中しやすくし、混乱を避けることに効果があると述べている。
スミソニアン学術協会では、失読症の生徒を持つ親や教師を対象にした、電子書籍リーダーの設定方法を伝える Web サイト「Read Easy」を公開している。同サイトには、http://readeasy.si.edu/ からアクセス可能だ。
◇High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Disability and Development
http://www.daisy.org/news-detail/1290
(2013-09-22 DAISY News | DAISY Consortium)
The High-level meeting of the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly on Disability and Development, "The way forward: a disability inclusive development agenda towards 2015 and beyond", will take place on September 23rd, 2013 in New York.
The High-level Meeting will comprise:
An opening plenary meeting, which will feature statements by the President of the General Assembly, the Secretary-General, the Chair of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, eminent persons actively engaged in disability issues and a representative of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.
Two consecutive informal interactive round tables. The themes for the informal interactive round tables will be as follows:
Round Table 1: International and regional cooperation and partnerships for disability-inclusive development.
Round Table 2: Post-2015 development agenda and inclusive development for persons with disabilities.
A closing plenary meeting.
Live Webcast will begin at 9 a.m. EST on September 23rd, 2013. More information is provided on the United Nations General Assembly website.
◇米OverDrive社が中国の取次業者と提携、中国の図書館での電子書籍貸出サービスへ
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24458
(2013年9月26日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米OverDrive社が、中国の取次業者である中国図書進出口(集団)(CNPEIC:China National Publications Import and Export Corporation)と、2013年北京国際ブックフェアの開催期間中(2013年8月28-9月1日)に、提携を締結していました。
OverDrive社のプレスリリースによると、この提携によりOverDriveと提携する出版社は中国での新たな市場を得ることになり、またOverDrive社は中国の図書館等における電子書籍貸出サービスを展開するとのことです。なお、CNPEICは中国の10,000以上の図書館や機関と取引があるとのことです。
◎OverDrive to provide digital content to Chinese libraries and retailers(OverDrive, 2013/9/13付け) http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2013/09/13/overdrive-to-provide-digital-content-to-chinese-libraries-and-retailers/
◎OverDrive Adds YouTube Executive to Lead Streaming Video Efforts(The Digital Shift、2013/9/19付け) http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/09/media/overdrive-adds-youtube-executive-to-lead-streaming-video-efforts/
◎米OverDrive、中国の海外書籍卸大手CNPIECと提携、英語圏の電子書籍を中国内の図書館へ納入(hon.jp、2013/9/17付け) http://hon.jp/news/1.0/0/4759/
◇スペイン著作権管理団体CEDRO、著作物二次利用のための権利処理手続きプラットフォームConlicenciaをリニューアル公開
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24390
(2013年9月17日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年9月10日、スペインの著作権管理団体CEDRO(Centro Espanol de Derechos Reprograficos)が、著作権で保護されている本・雑誌・新聞・楽譜の二次利用で必要な権利処理手続きを行うことのできるウェブプラットフォーム“Conlicencia”の新バージョンを、スペイン国立図書館へ提供しました。
CEDROの管理している2,000万タイトル以上著作物について、利用・複写・頒布のための年間ライセンスまたは、一時的な利用のための利用回数に応じたライセンス(pago por uso)の購入手続きが可能となっています。
スペイン国立図書館の記事では、Conlicenciaは欧州で唯一の先進的なツールだと紹介されています。
◎Conlicencia http://www.conlicencia.com/
◎CEDRO presenta conlicencia.com, la nueva plataforma de gestion de licencias de derechos de autor (CEDRO 2013/9/10付けの記事) http://www.cedro.org/prensa/noticiasderechosdeautor/2013/09/10/cedro-presenta-conlicencia.com-la-nueva-plataforma-de-gesti%C3%B3n-de-licencias-de-derechos-de-autor
◎CEDRO presenta conlicencia.com (BNE 2013/9/2付けの記事) http://www.bne.es/es/AreaPrensa/noticias2013/0903_PresentacionCEDRO.html
◇MOOCのNPO法人edXがGoogleと提携 ラーニングプラットフォーム開発で
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24368
(2013年9月12日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年9月10日、大規模公開オンライン講座(MOOCs)を提供するedXが、edXのオープンソースのラーニングプラットフォーム“Open edX”の開発で、Google社との提携を発表しました。共同開発されるOpen edXのプラットフォームを利用し、大学や企業、政府、教員らがそれぞれMOOCsの講座を開設・管理できる新たなウェブサイト“MOOC.org”を運営するとのことです。
◎mooc.org http://mooc.org/
◎EdX Announces Partnership with Google to Expand Open Source Platform (edX 2013/9/10付けの記事) https://www.edx.org/alert/edx-announces-partnership-google/1115
◎We are joining the Open edX platform (ResarchBlog 2013/9/10付けの記事) http://googleresearch.blogspot.com/2013/09/we-are-joining-open-edx-platform.html
◎ハーバード大など講座をオンライン配信 グーグルが「edX」と提携 (J-cast 2013/9/12付けの記事) http://www.j-cast.com/mono/2013/09/12183627.html
◎グーグル 大学講義を無料配信 (NHK 2013/9/11付けの記事) http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20130911/k10014445281000.html
◎米GoogleとedXが連携、オンライン講義の新サービス立ち上げへ (リセマム 2013/9/11付けの記事) http://resemom.jp/article/2013/09/11/15173.html
◇Adobe Joins Readium Foundation
http://www.daisy.org/daisy-news#newsitem1301
(2013-09-11 DAISY News | DAISY Consortium)
Readium.org announced that Adobe Systems Incorporated is joining as a member of the Readium Foundation, with the intention to make a significant contribution to the development of the Readium SDK project, a full-featured EPUB 3 rendering engine optimized for native apps on tablets and other mobile devices.
"Adobe has been a strong supporter of EPUB since its inception" said Tridib Roy Chowdhury, General Manager and Sr. Director of Products at Adobe. "We are delighted to be taking another important step in promoting this important open standard by joining the Readium Foundation and collaborating with other key industry stakeholders in development of the Readium SDK project."
It is anticipated that through Adobe’s contribution, in the near future it will be possible for any client application built with Readium SDK to directly incorporate support for handling EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 content protected via Adobe Content Server 4, the most pervasive Digital Rights Management (DRM) solution for eBooks and other digital publications, which is available from a number of Adobe resellers (see: http://www.adobe.com/products/content-server/resellers.html).
◇米国デジタル公共図書館、HathiTrustのコンテンツ170万タイトルを提供開始
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24304
(2013年9月4日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年9月3日、米国デジタル公共図書館(DPLA)は、今年6月18日に発表したHathiTrustとの連携(コンテンツハブ)の結果、HathiTrustが無料で公開している図書や雑誌、政府資料等170万タイトルをDPLAで提供を開始したと発表しています。これにより、DPLAの提供レコード数は4月の240万点から、450万点へと倍増したとのことです。
◎1.7 million titles from HathiTrust now live on DPLA homepage (Digital Public Library of America 2013/9/3付けの記事) http://dp.la/info/2013/09/03/1-7-million-titles-from-hathitrust-now-live-on-dpla-homepage/
◎DPLAでのHathiTrustコンテンツ検索結果 http://dp.la/search?partner[]=HathiTrust
◇大学出版局の学術電子書籍を公共図書館で利用可能に:米国カンザスシティ公共図書館がProject MUSEのコンテンツの提供を開始
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24280
(2013年8月30日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米国ミズーリ州のカンザスシティ公共図書館が、人文・社会科学系の電子資料提供サービスProject MUSEの学術電子書籍コンテンツの提供を開始したようです。infoDOCKETに掲載された同館のアナウンスによると、同館の図書館カード保有者は、Project MUSEの学術電子書籍3,200タイトル以上を利用できるようになったとのことです。
◎University Press: eBooks From Project Muse/UPCC Now Available at Kansas City Public Library(infoDOCKET, 2013/8/29付け) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/08/29/ebooks-from-project-museupcc-now-available-from-kansas-city-public-library/
※Gary Price氏のコメント付き。
◎E-Books & Digital Media(カンザスシティ公共図書館の電子書籍サービスのページ) http://www.kclibrary.org/downloadables
※リストにProject MUSEが追加されています。
◎UPCC Books on Project MUSE http://muse.jhu.edu/about/UPCC.html
◇米OverDrive社が図書館の電子書籍サービス利用者に関する調査結果を公開
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24241
(2013年8月27日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年8月26日、米国の電子書籍ベンダOverDrive社が、図書館の電子書籍サービスの利用者を対象に行った調査の結果を公開しました。この調査結果は2013年8月1日から4日にかけて開催されたOverDrive社のユーザカンファレンスで発表されたもので、今回一般向けに公開されました。
調査は2013年春に行われ、電子書籍サービスの利用者70,000人を対象としています。回答者のうち77%が女性で、59%は40〜64歳、41%が高等教育を受けた経験があり、65%以上は世帯収入が5万ドルを超えていました。
主な結果として、回答者の51%が図書館の電子書籍サービスに週に1回はアクセスし、残りのうち30%も月に1回はアクセスしている一方で、35%の回答者は図書館に足を運ぶ頻度が月1回未満であったことや、回答者の62%は電子書籍サービスにアクセスする際には特定の本を借りることが目的であったこと等が公開されています。これらの結果は文章のほか、インフォグラフィックとしてもまとめられています。
◎OverDrive end user survey results - Spring 2013(OverDrive、2013/8/26付けブログ記事) http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2013/08/26/overdrive-end-user-survey-results-%E2%80%93-spring-2013/
◎OverDrive Shares Findings From Recent End User Survey in New Infographic(LJ INFODocket、2013/8/27付け) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/08/26/overdrive-shares-some-findings-from-recent-user-survey-in-new-infographic/
◇研究と高等教育における“オープン”に関する政策提言書が公開−e-InfraNetプロジェクトによる欧州委員会提出用のレポート
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24229
(2013年8月23日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
英国情報システム合同委員会(JISC)と高等教育アカデミー(HEA)など欧州各国の機関がパートナーとなっている“e-InfraNetプロジェクト”が、“ 'Open' as the default modus operandi for research and higher education”と題する政策提言書を公表していました。
サマリーによると、この提言書は、2011年10月から実施された“e-InfraNetプロジェクト”の成果としてまとめられたもので、2回のアンケート調査、3回のワークショップ、及び2012年4月に設置されたシンクタンクの専門家からインプットに基づくものとのことです。また、“オープン”に関する政策立案は現状では断片化しており、全体を見通すアプローチをとったとのことです。オープンアクセス、オープンデータ、ソープンソースソフトウェア、オープンピアレビュー等、諸領域をカバーするものとなっているようです。そして、オープンについて6つの提言がなされています。
◎e-InfraNet: ‘Open’ as the default modus operandi for research and higher education(e-InfraNet、7/26付け) http://e-infranet.eu/output/e-infranet-open-as-the-default-modus-operandi-for-research-and-higher-education/
◇図書館における電子書籍に関する68の情報源:Ellyssa Kroski氏のまとめ
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24157
(2013年8月14日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
電子書籍に関するブログ“No Shelf Required”で、2013年8月12日、Ellyssa Kroski氏によるゲストポスト“68 essential resources for eBooks in libraries by Ellyssa Kroski”が公開されています。
図書館における電子書籍に関する基本的な情報源を68件が、全般、デバイス、ブログ、購入、作成などのカテゴリーに分けてリストアップされています。
◎68 essential resources for eBooks in libraries by Ellyssa Kroski(2013/8/12付け) http://www.libraries.wright.edu/noshelfrequired/2013/08/12/68-essential-resources-for-ebooks-in-libraries-by-ellyssa-kroski/
◎68 Essential Resources for eBooks in libraries(OEDb iLibrarian, 2013/8/12付け) http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/68-essential-resources-for-ebooks-in-libraries/
◇「今後、出版社の電子書籍制作は内制方式に移行するだろう」とZOO Digital
http://ebook.itmedia.co.jp/ebook/articles/1308/09/news116.html
(2013年08月09日 18時40分 更新 ITmedia eBook USER)
Frankfurt Book Fair事務局が運営する米国向け出版業界ニュースサイト「Publishing Perspectives」に、米コンテンツ制作プラットフォーム会社の関係者による興味深い記事が寄稿されている。
寄稿したのは米ZOO Digitalのクリントン・ハント副社長で、6月に開催された「IDPF Digital Book 2013」カンファレンスに向け複数出版社からアンケートをとった内容に関するもの。ハント氏によると、現地出版社の41%は電子書籍ファイルの制作を外部業者に完全委託しているが、45%は内制方式に切り替え始めているとのこと。
ハント氏は、内製の方が品質・納期面で効率的であり、業界的なトレンドになりつつあるとしている。
◇How Much Control Should the U.S. Government Have Over Ebooks
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/how-much-control-should-the-u-s-government-have-over-ebooks%e2%80%a8/
(August 9, 2013 Jeremy Greenfield, Digital Book World)
We’re likely to learn today just how much control the U.S. government will exert over the ebook business in the next five years. Judge Denise Cote is set to hold a conference today where it could be revealed what remedy the court will apply to Apple following its loss in the ebook price-fixing trial.
Of course, Apple is appealing on a number of grounds and the case could, theoretically, go to the Supreme Court, but it likely won’t and we will therefore know soon whether things will stay relatively the same or, if the DOJ gets its way, whether they’ll change drastically.
If you haven’t been paying attention, the DOJ has asked for some rather severe punishments for Apple for colluding to fix the prices of ebooks. A short summary: No agency pricing for five years - for ebooks, the App Store and the iTunes store; no 30% commission on in-app sales; must allow linking to outside retail stores.
How do you see it- Is this government intervention into the market too far- Or is it fair and what is required- Read more and leave a comment.
◇米Library Copyright Alliance、マラケシュ条約のユーザーガイドを公表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/24115
(2013年8月8日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年8月6日、米国図書館協会(ALA)、北米研究図書館協会(ARL)、大学・研究図書館協会(ACRL)から構成される“Library Copyright Alliance”(LCA)が、2013年6月に成立したマラケシュ条約“The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled”に関するユーザーガイドを公表しました。
執筆者は知的財産やインターネット等の問題に詳しいJonathan Band氏で、ガイドには、概要や条文の解説、条約と米国とのかかわりについてまとめられています。
◎A USER GUIDE TO THE MARRAKESH TREATY (PDF) http://www.librarycopyrightalliance.org/bm~doc/user-guide-marrakesh-treaty-060813.pdf
◎Library Copyright Alliance Releases User Guide to Marrakesh Treaty for Blind (ARL 2013/8/7付けの記事) http://www.arl.org/news/arl-news/2856-library-copyright-alliance-releases-user-guide-to-marrakesh-treaty-for-blind
◎Library Copyright Alliance Releases User Guide to Marrakesh Treaty for Blind (infoDOCKET 2013/8/7付けの記事) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/08/07/library-copyright-alliance-releases-user-guide-to-marrakesh-treaty-for-blind/
◇Springer Signs Agreement Granting Worldwide Digital Rights to Bookshare
https://www.bookshare.org/_/aboutUs/2013/07/springerAndBookshare
(July 12, 2013 ookshare)
Springer, the leading global scientific publisher, has signed an agreement to provide Bookshare, an international leader in providing copyrighted digital accessible books to people with print disabilities, with world rights to its titles. Springer is home to the world’s largest Scientific, Technical and Medical (STM) eBook collection and published more than 7,500 in 2012.
The first major STM publisher to commit to making their books accessible at this scale, Springer has taken a leading role to ensure that students have access to critical scientific resources. By contributing their digital files directly to Bookshare, they make it possible for students with disabilities to receive accessible books in a timely fashion and significantly reduce the costs of making these books available.
“This agreement dramatically expands the volume of research-based STM content available to individuals with print disabilities and ensures a continuing flow of new scientific content annually,” said Betsy Beaumon, Vice President and General Manager of the Benetech Global Literacy Program, at Benetech. “We applaud Springer for recognizing that individuals with print disabilities badly need more access to scientific and technical content.”
Providing STM content in accessible formats is particularly difficult due to the highly graphical nature of the content. By creating digital files in the EPUB2 file format that can be converted to specialized accessible formats such as DAISY, Springer is taking an important first step toward our shared goal of having all content available in formats usable by all.
As a result of this agreement, Springer will deliver over 10,000 EPUB files to Bookshare, followed by thousands of new titles annually.
“We are proud to be the first STM publishers to be part of this initiative, which ensures that an even larger group of users will be able to access our content in an appropriate format, and hope that many more publishers will join this deserving cause,” said Peter Hendriks, Springer’s President of STM Global Publishing and Marketing.
Publishers interested in contributing digital files to Bookshare for the benefit of individuals with print disabilities should contact Robin Seaman, Bookshare’s Director of Content Acquisition. For a list of publishing partners, visit the Bookshare website.
◇Why Publishers Are Making a Push for EPUB3 Now
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/why-publishers-are-making-a-push-for-epub3-now/
(July 25, 2013 Bill McCoy Digital Book World)
The Association of American Publishers (AAP) announced a major initiative to accelerate adoption of EPUB3 earlier this week. This latest version of EPUB, the widely used open standard format for digital publications, is based on the latest Web Standards including HTML5. But given that the vast majority of ebooks selling today are fiction and text-centric nonfiction titles that don’t have a clear need for the multimedia and interactivity associated with HTML5, some people have questioned why there’s such a fuss about moving to the new version.
The explanation is simple: While the long term benefits of moving up to HTML5 and the modern Web platform are significant as readers will demand more interactivity in ebooks, in the short-term the migration to EPUB3 is much less about ebooks that sing and dance and much more about lowering the costs of production and delivery for publishers across the increasingly wide range of devices, tablets and smartphones that readers are using.
To understand this it’s helpful to consider what version 3 adds to the EPUB standard. EPUB3 can be viewed as having four major feature clusters:
1. Styling and layout enhancements (general CSS enhancements, enhanced font/typography support, and fixed-layout support),
2. Global language support (vertical writing, R-L page progression direction, phonetic annotation, etc.)
3. Rich media and interactivity (audio, video, scripting)
4. Accessibility features (better semantics, pronunciation hints, synchronizing pre-recorded media with text display, mathematics etc.).
Many people think of HTML5 (and thus EPUB3 which differs from EPUB2 primarily in being built on HTML5) as being all about the rich media and interactivity. But HTML5 is a marketing term and in fact all of these enhancements in EPUB3 are enabled at least in part by HTML5 and related specs like CSS3 that come along with modern browsers. In some areas EPUB3 has gone beyond the browser baseline, such as in enabling global language support and accessibility. IDPF, the developers of EPUB, are collaborating with W3C to over time elevate the broader Web platform (which necessarily evolves a bit more slowly since it needs to address the needs of the entire global information and communications technology community not just book publishing).
Ebooks being sold today in the United States have been straight-jacketed to straight text thanks to the limitations of e-ink devices that have been prevalent in the last five years (and are only now starting to fade away as digital readers increasingly use tablets and smartphones). But it’s not clear that even on tablets that novels and narrative nonfiction, which form the bulk of the sales for most trade publishers, will benefit from video or interactivity. So that key feature of HTML5 is definitely not driving the AAP and other stakeholders to push EPUB3 adoption. Nor is it about global language support ? in Japan, where EPUB3 is already widely used, vertical writing and related features have been critical but for English-language publishing these features are not necessary.
Instead, it’s the other two features of EPUB3 that are driving U.S. adoption. First, styling and layout enhancements. EPUB2 supported only a very minimal subset of CSS circa a dozen years ago and even for, say, a reflowable romance novel, the lack of reliable styling and embedded font support has been a challenge. Secondly, accessibility. Accessibility mandates apply of course to educational content, but also to other kinds of books used in government and educational settings; EPUB3’s baseline of accessibility support will eliminate the need to produce a second digital version using a specialized format like DAISY DTBook. Making content accessible may increase sales and of course is the right thing to do, but in many cases it is simply a cost of doing business that EPUB3 will reduce (and in any case work on DAISY has ceased and accessibility mandates are expected to shift to EPUB3).
The overall benefit really more about streamlining the workflow and supply chain so that a publisher can produce and reliably deliver one well-styled and accessible title as a single EPUB file to all distribution channels. We are mid-stream in the EPUB3 migration ? with iBooks, Kobo, Google Play Books, VitalSource Bookshelf, and Sony having significant EPUB 3 support ? and other distribution channels, including Amazon via KindleGen, supporting some EPUB3 features. But with many retailers and reading app developers still stuck on EPUB2, in the short term life has gotten worse for publishers, not better. So, making sure that over the next six months we get across the river to a place where EPUB3 is universally supported will make life much easier for publishers from a production distribution and quality assurance perspective, while in the process delivering the benefits of enhanced layout and accessibility.
But that’s just about optimizing what we are already doing successfully: selling novels and other text-centric ebooks. To expand the market and readership, we have to enable content that is being sold today in print form that isn’t selling well in ebook form via the older and more limited EPUB2 format. This includes e-textbooks, comics/manga, how-to books, children’s books, and magazines. Much of the need here is pretty basic: the fixed-layout part of the styling and layout enhancements.
For e-textbooks it’s going to be de rigeur to have integrated assessments, video, rotating 3D models, graphs of equations that are “live,” and other features that will require other parts of HTML5. Manga and comics are evolving towards being “motion books.” While the jury’s out on how much interactivity will be needed in what segments, I think within the next five years an ebook form of a history title will be expected to have slide shows and video as a matter of course.
Stepping back even further, what EPUB is really about is next-generation portable documents based on the Open Web Platform (aka HTML5). The publishing industry is moving inexorably to the Web platform as its core content delivery architecture: there is really no other viable choice. EPUB2 was a limited fork of the Web Platform circa 2001 and doesn’t get us there. PDF which is circa 1993 definitely doesn’t get us there. EPUB3 retargets EPUB to be based on the current Web Platform ? not a fork but really built on the overall platform. And, EPUB will stay current (we are now prepping EPUB 3.0.1), and get better and better aligned over time, while helping to push the broader platform ahead with regards to publisher requirements. Once this transition is complete, publishers will have a lot more options for distribution including of course directly via their own websites and, where appropriate, as native apps. Of course you don’t need EPUB to develop a website or build a native app ? EPUB simply provides a consistent framework for reliably structuring Web content so that it can be delivered in all of these ways depending on the circumstances.
It’s a very painful thing to leap forward a dozen years in one revision, and there’s definitely been some significant pain points in the migration to EPUB3 that’s been underway for well over a year now (and is taking longer and proving more challenging than many of us had anticipated). Kanter’s Law is that “Everything looks like a failure in the middle. Everyone loves inspiring beginnings and happy endings, it’s just the middles that involve hard work.” And right now we are surely in the painful middle with the migration to EPUB3 (as well as with the bigger migration from e-ink to tablets and smartphones and the even bigger overall migration from a print-only publishing industry to a world where digital forms of all types of content are expected).
The requisite hard work is well underway, and thanks to the momentum of the new AAP initiative, the Readium Foundation launched earlier this year, and other efforts by the publishing community around the world, I’m confident that by this time next year we will look back and all be very glad we’ve gotten across the river and fully adopted EPUB3 and integrated digital publishing with the modern Web Platform. And then we can get on with the harder and more interesting work of truly reinventing books and other publications ? and publishing as a business ? for the digital world. After all, EPUB3 and HTML5 are just the plumbing. In digital just as in print ? maybe even more so ? content is still king.
◇National Federation of the Blind Praises DOJ Settlement with Louisiana Tech | NFB
https://nfb.org/national-federation-blind-praises-doj-settlement-louisiana-tech
(Wednesday, July 24, 2013 National Federation of the Blind)
Baltimore, Maryland (July 24, 2013): The National Federation of the Blind, the nation’s leading advocate for full access to higher education by the blind, today praised a settlement reached by the United States Department of Justice with Louisiana Tech University and the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System. The settlement requires Louisiana Tech to ensure that course materials, including those made available online, and other technologies used by the university are fully accessible to students with disabilities, including blind students who require nonvisual access.
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “Online course materials and course management systems are a critical part of education today, and these technologies must be accessible to blind students in order for them to receive an equal education. This groundbreaking settlement not only ensures full access to all of Louisiana Tech University’s courses and programs for its blind students, but also makes it clear that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires all institutions of higher education to procure and deploy technology that is fully accessible to their blind students. Moreover, the settlement puts in place policies and procedures that emphasize the accountability of university personnel, including members of the faculty, to ensure that courses and materials offered by the university are fully accessible to blind students. As we mark the anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we commend the Department of Justice for this outstanding result and for its commitment to protecting the right of blind students to an equal education.”
◇4. Teil der Umfrage unter Selfpublishing-Dienstleistern
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/verlage/verlage_nachricht/datum/2013/07/23/abgesang-auf-die-verlage-waere-falsch.htm
(23. Juli 2013 buchreport)
Der vierte Teil der gemeinsam von selfpublisherbibel.de und buchreport.de durchgefuhrten Umfrage unter Selfpublishing-Dienstleistern widmet sich der Genreliteratur, hartem Kopierschutz, angereicherten E-Books und der Rolle von Verlagen und Agenturen in der Zukunft.
Interessant an den Antworten der Dienstleister sind insbesondere die Einschatzungen, welche Rolle die bisherigen Gatekeeper Agenten und Verleger kunftig spielen werden. Bei Epubli geht man davon aus, dass der Lowenanteil der SP-Autoren kunftig aus denjenigen besteht, die sich beim Verlag nicht mehr gut aufgehoben fuhlen ?und sich aus rationalen Grunden furs Selfpublishing entscheiden“. Ein Abgesang auf die Verlage ware dennoch falsch.
Tredition glaubt, dass Selfpublishing kunftig ein Risiko fur Agenturen darstellt. ?Die Geschaftsgrundlage, unbekannte Talente dem passenden Verlag zum richtigen Zeitpunkt vorzustellen, ist durch Selfpublishing erschwert.“
Hier die Ubersicht der Themen aus der Umfrage...
◇2001年から2010年までの図書館教育・情報リテラシーに関する論文の動向(文献紹介)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23983
(2013年7月22日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
Reference Services Review誌(2013, 41(3))に、“Trends in the Literature on Library Instruction and Information Literacy, 2001-2010”というプレプリントが掲載されています。執筆者は米国のルイビル大学のClaudene Sproles氏らです。
論文では、同誌に毎年掲載されている情報リテラシー・図書館教育(library instruction)に関する文献リストを元に、2001年から2010年までの当該分野の論文の動向を調査したものです。結果、10年間に査読付きジャーナルへの掲載論文数が増加したこと、70%の論文が米国在住者が著者であること、キーテーマが協働・評価・教育へのテクノロジーの導入となっていること等が示されたとのことです。
◎Claudene Sproles, Robert Detmering, Anna Marie Johnson, (2013) "Trends in the Literature on Library Instruction and Information Literacy, 2001-2010", Reference Services Review, Vol. 41 Iss: 3 http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0090-7324&volume=41&issue=3&articleid=17093238&show=abstract
◇Survey: College Students Relying More on Digital Materials
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/survey-college-students-relying-more-on-digital-materials/
(July 22, 2013 Digital Book World)
CourseSmart’s Third Annual Survey on Education and Technology Reveals College Students’ Growing Dependence on Mobile Devices and Digital Course Materials
New Research Shows that Digital Textbook Usage and Device Ownership Have Increased Dramatically; Cost of Attending College Remains a Top Concern
SAN MATEO, Calif., July 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ ? CourseSmartR, a leading Educational Services Platform and the world’s largest provider of digital course materials, today announced the results of it’s third annual survey revealing the digital habits of today’s college students. Fielded by Wakefield Research, an independent research consultancy, the survey of more than 500 currently enrolled college students found significant increases in students’ overall reliance on technology as a means to improve their academic productivity and performance, especially their use of mobile devices to access course materials on the go. The survey also highlights the impact of student debt on the school, career and lifestyle choices of today’s financially burdened students.
“We are continuing to see the positive potential of technology to increase access, lower costs and improve outcomes in higher education,” said Sean Devine, CEO of CourseSmart. “The results of this survey underscore just how much students have embraced mobile devices and digital course materials to enhance their productivity, efficiency and performance, all of which impact students’ educational success and financial prospects in this highly competitive, globally connected world.”
Key findings of the survey include:?Diverse Devices, Digital Dependency:?Almost all (99%) students surveyed reported having at least one digital device, and while laptops were the most common (93%), many students now own smart phones (78%) and tablets (35%). This is a significant increase from our 2011 survey when only 47% of students said they owned a smart phone and 7% reported owning a tablet. Further results in this area include:
-A majority (68%) of students use three or more devices every day
-47% of students say they check their devices every 10 minutes, up from 38% of students in 2011
-59% of students say they are more likely to bring a laptop or tablet to class while only 41% prefer to bring a textbook
Studying Smarter, Saving Time?Almost all students surveyed (90%) admitted they don’t always complete the required reading in time for class. Of those students, a majority (53%) report they would be more likely to complete that reading if the material was available digitally and could be viewed on mobile devices. That number increased from 46% of students surveyed in 2011, showing that students are becoming increasingly more comfortable with consuming materials on mobile devices. Further results in this area include:
-88% of students say they have used a mobile device for last minute studying before a test, up from 79% of students surveyed in 2012
-79% of students felt that technology such as mobile devices, digital textbooks, e-readers and tablets saved them time when studying and learning
-Of those students, 64% say technology saves them two or more hours every day
The Cost Conundrum: Choices and Compromises?In addition to devices, students have another thing on their mind ? the growing cost of higher education ? as almost half of students surveyed (49%) said they decided not to attend an institution after being selected because the cost was too high. However, students are accepting they might have some student loan debt with a strong majority (72%) saying they would rather have a full time job than be debt-free. Further results in this area include:
-72% of students recalled having a discussion about financing their college education
-The potential for student debt was a factor for 78% of students when selecting a college or university to attend
-When asked what will be impacted by student loan debt, 61% of students indicated where they live, 56% named the type of job sought with 46% citing the number of jobs they work post graduation and 44% saying student loan debt would impact their decision to attend graduate school
Textbooks Move from Print to Pixels?eTextbook usage is growing quickly with 79% of students saying they have used an eTextbook, up from 63% in 2011. This increased usage may be due to the fact that professors are increasingly touting the benefits of digital course materials. In fact, 84% of the students surveyed have had a professor recommend the purchase of an eTextbook and 52% of students said professors frequently recommend eTextbooks, which is up from only 42% in 2012. Further results in this area include:
-66% of students use eTextbooks frequently, as compared to only 43% of students in 2011
-17% of students said they think only eTextbooks will be used in 10 years and 55% predicted that eTexbook usage would outweigh print
-Only 7% of students expected print textbooks to remain dominant
◎For more information, please visit www.coursesmart.com.
◇Driving Globalization in Education Through Learning Management Systems
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/driving-globalization-in-education-through-learning-management-systems/
(July 18, 2013 Vishal Jindal Digital Book World)
Digitization has opened up the borders of education. Almost anyone can enroll in any course of choice offered from any university in the world. The world’s most prestigious institutions are opening up to the idea of virtual course delivery, to the idea of generating new revenue streams through digital education. This expansion doesn’t have to come at the cost of lower quality or making their brand less sought after. Institutes can still differentiate themselves with the depth and the uniqueness of the courses on offer. Online education creates the opportunity to take education to the masses, especially in the emerging economies where there is more of a need to work alongside study there is shortage of teachers and quality study material.
Online education is beginning to show good potential. The overall size of online education market is expected to reach $78.4 billion by 2015 from $60.5 billion in 2010. Within the online education market, the pattern for K-12 is different than post-secondary or higher education. The share of spending devoted to e-learning appears considerably smaller in K-12 education than in post-secondary education. Expenditure on e-learning in U.S K-12 education is estimated to absorb just $0.46 for every $100 spent. By contrast, expenditure on e-learning in U.S. post-secondary education is estimated at $5.60 per $100 spent, or over 10 times the K-12 share. (Source: Executive office of the president council of economic advisers, Sept, 2011.)
Accordingly, there is lot of focus on e-learning for higher education. The leading learning management system providers include Blackboard, Pearson, Ellucian and few open source ones like Moodle and Sakai. Learning management systems are platforms through which the e-learning programs are executed. These usually cover a range of features like collaboration tools, virtual classrooms and online assessments. A good Learning Management System is easy to use, user friendly and cost effective. It allows easy publishing of courses to the Learning Management System so that it is easy for non-technical training administrators to create, manage, and track interactive training courses and learning programs for all levels of users. Further, an Learning Management System should be scalable, flexible, pay as you grow that provides various options to multiple business sizes or models.
It may seem that Learning Management Systems are being commoditized slowly, especially Learning Management System on cloud platforms become more popular. In emerging economies, where costs have to be kept low, Learning Management Systems are offered as low frills platforms, enabling a marketplace for education. Knowledge providers ? the education course providers ? only need to pay if they charge the students in return. Content is the problem of the knowledge provider and the platform treats the content as a mere file type. These boundaries allow every player to focus on their core area of strength.
In countries where online education has been around for some time now, there is a need for Learning Management Systems to become larger and become more student-centric. Learning Management Systems are just a cog in the wheel of the entire new education lifecycle. Adaptive learning techniques are ingrained in Learning Management Systems, offering courses and content personalized to the needs of the individual user ? and in real time. This means that the Learning Management System is integrated with the content and editorial side of the workflow and also integrated with the fulfillment engine, giving access to student and teacher records. Hence technology has a much larger role to play in the dissemination and absorption of knowledge.
Thus, in different ways across the world, learning management systems are playing an important role enabling globalization of education.
This content was provided by HCL Technologies, a leading transformational global services company for IT and engineering.
◇Overdrive、ALA2013でLibrary Media Stationを発表
http://ebook.itmedia.co.jp/ebook/articles/1307/17/news014.html
(2013年07月17日 ITmedia eBook USER)
Overdriveは現在、図書館へのコンテンツ貸出を仲介する最大の電子書籍企業だ。先日シカゴで開催されたALA(American Library Association)2013で同社は新たなLibrary Media Stationを発表した。
Overdrive Media Stationはユーザーが図書館の電子書籍、オーディオブック、音楽、動画のコレクションを閲覧できるタッチスクリーン端末だ。Webブラウザ向けEPUBビューワ「Overdrive Read」によりサンプルを読んだり、端末上でオーディオを聞いたりできる。QRコードとメールアドレスの入力項目が用意されており、ユーザーが借りたいあらゆるコンテンツの複製をダウンロードするためのリンクをすぐに送信してくれる。
この動画のMedia StationはオールインワンタイプのPCだが、図書館がほかのハードウェアベンダーとライセンス契約を締結している場合は自前のタッチスクリーンコンピュータを利用することもできる。Overdriveのデビッド・バーレイ氏は「図書館は最適化された27インチタッチスクリーンコンピュータをOverdriveから購入するか、自前のPCを利用できます。自前のPCへの導入を決めた場合、すべてが適切に機能するようにパートナーと協力します」と語った。
Media Stationが素晴らしいのは、図書館がコレクションを公開する際の柔軟性が非常に高い点だ。メインのホーム画面で取り上げたいジャンルについて独自セクションを作成できる。これはヤングアダルトから追加した最近のベストセラーに至るまで何でもよい。もちろん、図書館のロゴとキャッチコピーを表示するブランディング上のオプションも存在する。
この動画を見て新たな動画ストリーミングサービスの存在に気付くかもしれない。Overdriveはひそかにβ版の機能をテストしており、そのプログラムに関する公式な発表は今のところない。分かっているのはOverdriveが何百本もの映画に関してParamount Picturesとの契約にサインしたことだ。Overdriveは現在、ほかにも4つの契約を結ぼうとしており、いずれPPV(ペイパービュー)イベントを立ち上げするだろう。
◇英政府「図書館での電子書籍貸し出しは公共貸与権の対象」と作家団体に公式伝達
http://ebook.itmedia.co.jp/ebook/articles/1307/17/news088.html
(2013年07月17日 15時00分 更新 ITmedia eBook USER)
米国の電子書籍ニュースサイト「Teleread」によると、英国のエド・バイゼー文化相が図書館における電子書籍の貸出しについて、作家団体The Society of Authorsに公共貸与権の対象とし、予算を確保したことを公式に伝達した。
公共貸与権とは、図書館などが書籍の貸し出しなどを行う際に、著者にその補償金を支払うという制度(編注:日本にはこの制度がないため、出版界と図書館界のあつれきの原因となっている)。英国議会は3年前、世界で初めて電子書籍もこの公共貸与権の対象に入れようと試みたが、決議直前の与野党調整で見送られている。
バイゼー文化相の文書によると、2014年6月から試験的に現行予算から配分し、年間674万英ポンド(約10億円)程度とすることを約束している。
◇モスクワの図書館はハイテクメディアセンターへ(記事紹介)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23948
(2013年7月17日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
Russia Beyond the Headlinesに、モスクワで進められている地域の図書館の改築事業について、その概要を伝える記事が掲載されています。記事によると、5つの地域の図書館で改築が進められており、これまでの書籍を読むだけのものから、レクリエーション、会議、展示等様々なニーズに応える、コミュニティセンターとすることが目指されているようです。
◎Moscow libraries turn into hi-tech media centers http://rbth.ru/arts/2013/07/15/moscow_libraries_turn_into_hi-tech_media_centers_28075.html
◎A look inside the world's second biggest library http://rbth.ru/multimedia/pictures/2013/04/17/a_look_inside_the_worlds_second_biggest_library_25117.html
◇Pew Study: Technology Aids Students’ Writing Skills Though Challenges Remain
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/07/k-12/pew-study-technology-aids-students-writing-skills-though-challenges-remain/
(July 16, 2013 By Karyn M. Peterson The Digital Shift)
Digital technologies are impacting American middle and high school students’ writing in many ways, both good and bad, a new national report from the Pew Research Center shows. According to the survey of teachers who instruct American middle and high school students, tech tools provide significant advantages to learning?although students are still having trouble with informal grammar and navigating the issues of plagiarism, citation, and fair use.
The report, “The Impact of Digital Tools on Student Writing and How Writing is Taught in Schools” find that 78 percent of the 2,462 advanced placement (AP) and National Writing Project (NWP) teachers surveyed by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project say digital tools such as the internet, social media, and cell phones “encourage student creativity and personal expression.” In addition, 96 percent say digital technologies “allow students to share their work with a wider and more varied audience” and 79 percent agree that these tools “encourage greater collaboration among students.”
According to teachers, students’ exposure to a broader audience for their work and more feedback from peers encourages greater student investment in what they write and in the writing process as a whole.
“These results challenge in many ways the notion that students’ writing skills are being undermined by their increasing engagement with digital tools and platforms,” says Kristen Purcell, associate director for research at the Pew Internet Project. “Teachers do have concerns that digital tools are blurring the lines between formal and informal writing and see writing skills that need improvement, but they also see the benefit of students having more people respond to their writing and the increased opportunities for expression these digital tools offer.”
Half of these surveyed teachers say digital tools make it easier to teach writing, with just 18 percent saying digital tools make the process more difficult. In particular, teachers value interactive platforms, which allow them to work alongside a student on a piece of writing and allow students to edit and view each other’s work. Among this group of teachers:
52 percent say they or their students use interactive whiteboards in their classes
40 percent have students share their work on wikis, websites or blogs
36 percent have students edit or revise their own work and 29 percent have students edit others’ work using collaborative web-based tools such as GoogleDocs
The “creep” of informal grammar and style into “formal” writing, as well as students’ impatience with the writing process and their difficulty navigating the complex issues of plagiarism, citation and fair use, are still a concern. Specifically:
68 percent of teachers say digital tools make students more likely?as opposed to less likely or having no impact?to take shortcuts and not put effort into their writing
46 percent say these tools make students more likely to “write too fast and be careless”
Just 8 percent describe their students as “excellent” or “very good” when it comes to navigating issues of fair use and copyright?30% gpercent ive their students the lowest rating of “poor”
Just 15 percent rate students as “excellent” or “very good” when it comes to appropriately citing content, with the majority rating students “fair” (37 percent) or “poor” (20 percent)
Reflecting these latter concerns, a majority of these teachers spend class time “discussing with students the concepts of citation and plagiarism” (88 percent) and “discussing with students the concepts of fair use and copyright” (75 percent).
Interestingly, while the survey includes teachers of all subjects, English/language arts teachers in the sample consistently express more positive views of the impact of digital tools on student writing and the potential of these tools to help them teach writing. Almost two-thirds (64 percent) of English/language arts teachers surveyed say digital tools make teaching writing easier, compared with 32 percent of math teachers, 38 percent of science teachers, and 45 percent of history/social studies teachers.
English teachers are the most likely to use collaborative online platforms with their students, and are more likely than teachers of other subjects to say digital tools increase the likelihood students will revise and edit their work. They are the least likely of all teachers to say digital tools make students careless in their writing or undermine grammatical and spelling skills.
“Teachers, writing teachers especially, do not view good writing and the use of digital tools as being at war with each other,” adds Judy Buchanan, deputy director of the National Writing Project and a co-author of the report. “When educators have opportunities to integrate new technologies into teaching and learning, they are the most optimistic about the impact of digital tools on student writing and their value in teaching the art of writing. They gave countless examples of the creative ways they use emerging digital tools to impart writing skills to today’s students.”
These findings emerge from an online survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project in collaboration with the College Board and the National Writing Project. It is a non-probability sample of 2,462 middle and high school teachers currently teaching in the U.S. and its territories, conducted between March 7 and April 23, 2012. Some 1,750 of the teachers are drawn from a sample of advanced placement (AP) high school teachers, while the remaining 712 are from a sample of National Writing Project teachers.
◇BISG: Student Pirating on the Rise
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/bisg-student-pirating-on-the-rise/
(July 16, 2013 Digital Book World)
Students increasingly look for alternatives to traditional texts; downloading of unauthorized content on the rise, says new BISG research
Student use of alternative and illicit course materials is on the rise, according to new research from the Book Industry Study Group (BISG)’s ongoing survey of Student Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education. The second installment in Volume Three of the study, which is powered by BowkerR Market Research, shows that the percentage of students reporting they had downloaded course content from an unauthorized Web site has risen steadily to 34 percent from 20 percent when it was first measured in 2010. Over the same period, the percent of students saying they photocopied or scanned chapters of textbooks from other students rose from 21 percent to 31 percent.
“This is important behavior to track, especially since it’s coinciding with other data that show declining student commitment to owning current editions of assigned texts,” said Len Vlahos, Executive Director, BISG.
Student Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education, Volume Three, Report 2 also features highlights from a parallel survey of higher ed faculty. Among the additional insights into the issues affecting college programs and curriculum is faculty concern about value in return for student spending. For example, 75 percent of faculty respondents felt that the overall cost of obtaining a college degree is too high (although only 33 percent feel education at their own institution is too expensive). Faculty respondents reported that students typically paid $110 for a printed textbook and $58 for a digital textbook?down slightly from last year’s survey results of $118 and $65. However, they felt that both print and digital course materials were priced higher than their value to the class and should be $74 for print and $40 for digital?also down from $79 and $48 last year.
“Exploring the behavior of both the end-user and the decision-maker is becoming far more important as these two groups are both driving market changes,” said Jo Henry, Director of Bowker Market Research, a service of ProQuest affiliate Bowker. “It’s an increasingly complex marketplace to predict and respond to.”
For the first time Student Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education explored Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and found that while awareness of these courses is still low among survey respondents, the phenomenon is beginning to impact student attitudes and behaviors. Slightly more than 15 percent of student respondents said they were familiar with MOOCs. Of those respondents familiar with MOOCs, 56 percent said they had explored or considered enrolling in one. Of those who actually enrolled in a MOOC, a remarkable 83 percent completed the course and 20 percent received college credit. Fully 68 percent of all survey respondents said they would be more likely to try a MOOC for university credit if the tuition was lower than for an online or classroom course.
The findings from Student Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education come from a semi-annual online survey of college students, drawn from a nationally representative panel. The additional faculty survey is conducted once per year. To ensure the survey questions explore the appropriate trends and issues, they are developed in partnership with a variety of publishers and other companies serving the higher education market. In addition to the core question set, survey sponsors and other interested parties can submit proprietary questions to supplement the core fieldings. Those interested in specifics of the data and/or submitting proprietary questions should contact Nadine Vassallo in the BISG office at 646-336-7141 x13 or nadine@bisg.org.
The survey findings are available for sale both as a PDF summary report and as a complete data compendium, accessible online. A substantial discount is available for BISG members. The second installment in Volume Three of Student Attitudes Toward Content in Higher Education is available as of July 16, 2013. For more information, or to order a copy, visit http://www.bisg.org/publications/product.php?p=22&c=437.
◇ドイツにおける電子書籍端末の普及率は5.2%
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23940
(2013年7月16日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
ドイツの調査会社Das Institut fur Demoskopie Allensbach (IfD Allensbach)社が公開した2013年の市場調査の中で、電子書籍端末の普及率が取り上げられています。
同調査によると14歳以上のドイツ人の中で、電子書籍端末を現在所有している人の割合は5.2%、今後1-2年以内の購入を検討している人の割合は3.5%であったとのことです。また、過去12カ月以内に電子書籍を購入したことがある人の割合は6.0%でした。
◎Allensbacher Markt- und Werbetrageranalyse 2013(IfD Allenbach) http://www.ifd-allensbach.de/fileadmin/AWA/AWA2013/Codebuchausschnitte/AWA_2013_Codebuch_Kultur_Buecher_Sprachen.pdf
◎Deutschland: Funf Prozent besitzen einen eBook Reader(allesebook.de、2013/7/12付け) http://allesebook.de/marktanalyse/deutschland-funf-prozent-besitzen-einen-ebook-reader-32608/
◎eReader Adoption Reaches New High In Germany(The Digital Reader、2013/7/12付け) http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2013/07/12/ereader-ownership-reaches-5-in-germany/
◎ドイツの国民意識調査会社「ドイツ人における電子書籍普及率が5%を突破」(hon.jp、2013/7/16付け) http://hon.jp/news/1.0/0/4564/
◇アップル独禁法違反判決、デジタル市場の活発化に寄与か
http://www.afpbb.com/article/environment-science-it/it/2955580/11031752?ctm_campaign=txt_topics
(2013年07月13日 16:05 AFPBB News 発信地:ワシントンD.C./米国)
【7月12日 AFP】米アップル(Apple)が出版社と共謀し、電子書籍の値段を不当に設定したと認定した米連邦地裁の10日の判決により、音楽や映画など全てのデジタル・コンテンツ市場の競争が活発になる可能性があると、アナリストらはみている。
反トラスト法(独占禁止法)に詳しく、米連邦取引委員会(Federal Trade Commission、FTC)の政策指揮官を務めたこともある弁護士デービッド・バルト(David Balto)氏は「大きな勝利をつかんだのは消費者だ」と語る。「アップルのやり方は価格を明らかにつり上げた。もしもそれが許されれば、アップルはこの手法を用いて、さまざまな市場の価格を引き上げていただろう。今回の判決は、反トラスト法の断固とした施行の意義を見せつけた画期的なものだ」
デニース・コート(Denise Cote)連邦地裁判事は、米ニューヨーク(New York)での3週間に及ぶ審理の末、電子書籍の価格競争を終わらせようとした出版社5社の集団努力を「促進・助長した」責任がアップルにあると判断した。なお、アップル側は上訴するとしている。
米ミシガン大学(University of Michigan)の反トラスト法専門家、デービッド・クレーン(David Crane)氏は判決によって、デジタル・コンテンツの価格設定に対するアップルの影響力は大きく妨げられたという。「音楽にせよ映画にせよ、新聞や何にせよ、基本的にアップルは、価格設定の方法やリリース日の決定といったビジネスモデルの再構築に深く関わりたがっている」が、今回のような判例は「コンテンツ提供元との1対1の交渉以外では、アップルを非常に慎重にさせる」ものだとみる。
一方、判決は電子書籍市場におけるインターネット小売大手アマゾン・ドットコム(Amazon.com)の独占状態をいっそう強化するかもしれないとみるアナリストもいる。アップルが持ち込んだ「取次店モデル」にアマゾンが移行しているという指摘もある。
アップルが電子書籍市場に参入するまで、アマゾンはほとんどの書籍を9.99ドル(約990円)の廉価で販売する「卸売モデル」を採用していた。それは崩れたが、電子書籍が値上がりしてもアマゾンは「利益を得る」と、エンドポイント・テクノロジー・アソシエイツ(Endpoint Technology Associates)のアナリスト、ロジャー・ケイ(Roger Kay)氏は説明する。
電子書籍市場におけるアマゾンのシェアは、数年前の90%からは減ったが、依然3分の2を占めるとされる。一方、アップルのシェアは約20%とされている。
他方、電子書籍全体の売上は数年間にわたり急増した後、その勢いは落ち込んできている。米出版社協会(Association of American Publishers、AAP)の調査によれば、電子書籍の2012年の売上成長率は41%で依然著しいが、倍増していた11年など近年の猛烈な勢いはない。
デジタル市場での権利擁護などに取り組む団体「パブリック・ナレッジ(Public Knowledge)」のマイケル・ワインバーグ(Michael Weinberg)氏は、市場はいまだ電子書籍やその他のデジタル・コンテンツのモデルを取捨選択している途上にあると言う。また今回の判決をきっかけに、現在の電子書籍市場がコンテンツの再生を1つのデバイスに限定する、いわゆるデジタル著作権管理に制約されていることに対する認識が高まってほしいと期待し、「もし(アマゾンの電子書籍端末)キンドル(Kindle)上で全てのファイルを持っていて、それを別の端末にも移せるのであれば、市場の成長を促すことができるだろう」と述べた。(c)AFP/Rob Lever
◇米国の調査会社が、大学図書館のデータキュレーションの実践に関する調査報告書を刊行
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23928
(2013年7月12日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米国の調査会社Primary Research Groupが、大学図書館のデータキュレーションの実践に関する調査報告書“The International Survey of Academic Library Data Curation Practices”(有料)を刊行するとのことです。
ウェブに掲載された情報によると、この調査には米国その他の30大学が参加し、報告書では、大学においてデータキュレーションの負担を担っている部署、コスト、使用するソフトウェアのタイプ、課題等について報告しているとのことです。また、その内容としては、63.33%の図書館が教員に対してデータ管理プランに関するアドバイスを行っており、特に米国の実施率は72.22%であること、大学のデータキュレーションへの支出の27.55%を図書館によるものと概算されること、などがわかったとのことです。
◎Academic Libraries Contribute Nearly 28% of Overall University Spending on Data Curation for Major Scholarly Projects (Primary Research Group, 2013/7/11付け) http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10910353.htm
◇Open Knowledge Foundationが“ラボ”を開設
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23915
(2013年7月11日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年7月9日、Open Knowledge Foundationが、“Open Knowledge Foundation Labs”を開設しました。オープンデータやオープンコンテンツ、フリーのオープンソースソフトウェア等を利用して、アプリやツール等の開発を行うためのコミュニティスペースとなっています。
◎Open Knowledge Foundation Labs http://okfnlabs.org/
◎Introducing Open Knowledge Foundation Labs (Open Knowledge Foundation Blog 2013/7/9付けの記事) http://blog.okfn.org/2013/07/09/introducing-open-knowledge-foundation-labs/
◇独txtr社、E-Ink電子書籍端末「Txtr Beagle」を約2,500円に値下げ、ドイツ国内での競争激化を受け
http://hon.jp/news/1.0/0/4547/
(2013-07-10 13:32:20 hon.jp DayWatch)
米国の電子書籍ニュースサイト「The Digital Reader」によると、ドイツの電子書籍ベンチャーtxtr GmbH社(本社:ドイツ・ベルリン市)が電子書籍端末「Txtr Beagle」を19.99ユーロ(約2,500円)で期間限定セールを始めたとのこと。
Txtr Beagleは、txtr社が運営する電子書籍販売サイト「Txtr.com」会員向けに設計された専用端末で、5インチ型の電子ペーパーディスプレイを搭載。既存の電子書籍端末で見られるほとんどの部品パーツを極限まで排除し、搭載メモリも大幅カット。単三電池2本で動作し、レンダリング処理もBluetoothシンクされたAndroidアプリ側に委ねるという、実質的にはスマートフォン向けの“電子ペーパー・サブディスプレイ”。
ドイツではAmazon社の参入後、複数の電子書籍端末メーカーの間で値下げ競争が始まっており、txtr社は現在のところ最安価の製品となる。【hon.jp】
◎The Digital Readerの記事( http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2013/07/09/txtr-beagle-is-now-on-sale-e19-99/ )
◇Frankfurt Book Fair事務局がデジタルコンテンツ関係者1,400名にアンケート調査「現場はまだまだ混乱状態」
http://hon.jp/news/1.0/0/4536/
(2013-07-08 08:03:04 hon.jp DayWatch)
複数国で国際ブックフェアを企画・運営するドイツのFrankfurt Book Fair事務局が、電子書籍やゲームなどを含むデジタルコンテンツ関係者1,400名にアンケート調査を実施し、その結果をPDF形式で公開した。
調査対象は主要国でデジタルコンテンツ業務に関わっているプロたち。結果によると、社内で統一フォーマットでコンテンツ制作している割合は全体の48%で、73%が動きの激しいビジネスサイクルに対応できていないことを認め、75%がフリーミアムなど新手のビジネスモデルに興味はないという。
デジタルコンテンツ市場の進化の激しさに翻弄されているのは、読者以上に、制作現場のプロたちのようだ【hon.jp】
◎Frankfurt Book Fairのアンケート調査結果( http://www.book-fair.com/pdf/market_climate_media_2013.pdf ※注:PDF形式)
◇フランス国立図書館(BnF)、2012年の法定納本の現状をまとめたレポートを公表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23882
(2013年7月8日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年7月2日、フランス国立図書館(BnF)が、2012年の法定納本の状況をまとめたレポートと統計データを公開しました。レポート及び統計データは、印刷図書や逐次刊行物、写真やウェブサイト等の資料種別ごとにまとめられています。
◎L'Observatoire du depot legal : reflet de l'edition contemporaine http://www.bnf.fr/fr/professionnels/depot_legal_definition/s.depot_legal_observatoire.html?first_Art=non
◎Actualites professionnelles (2013/7/2付けの記事として、上記へのリンクがあります) http://www.bnf.fr/fr/professionnels/pro_actualites.html
◇How Libraries Are Coping with Digital eBook Discovery
http://goodereader.com/blog/american-library-association/how-libraries-are-coping-with-digital-ebook-discovery
(JUL 08,2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
eBook discovery is something that every major online bookstore and the entire publishing industry is trying to figure out. How do you make books easier to find online and tailor results to your specific needs? Physical bookstores and libraries are often the places people visit to find out what just came out and discover new authors. Libraries certainly don’t generate many headlines with making digital content easier to finds so how exactly are libraries making digital discovery easier for their patrons and even building brand awareness?
There were two major topics of discussion at the American Library Association Annual conference in Chicago. We wrote about one of them last week, in an article that centered around the concept of libraries becoming retail. The second major trend at the event was addressing ebook discovery and what libraries and technology companies are doing about it.
Overdrive unleashed its Media Station for Libraries, and the concept behind this is to attract the public using a tablet in a display or kiosk, which then aids in discovering what digital content is available. It features an all-in-one PC that can be any brand or model, and it uses Overdrives HTML5 software to allow you to interact with the touchscreen. The Media Station will showcase the audiobooks, ebooks, video, and music that the library offers and can send the content directly to your smartphone or tablet. Currently, Overdrive deals with 22,000 libraries all over the world and many will buy into this new platform. It really aids discovery with the ability to customize your home screen and focus on specific literary genres, notable authors, or develop custom lists for individual customers. This allows libraries to encourage the public to check out their digital content and develop specialized elements that would appeal to their local community.
Many libraries are investing in online technology and database code to aid in ebook discovery. Douglas County Library employs very advanced searching algorithms that will give you specific results or make recommendations based on your reading habits.
Libraries, to me, are focusing on the wrong thing. They are more concerned about extensive programming to serve specialized search results, like Amazon does. Or, they are focused on customizing their apps and developing funky book lists. Some are even investing hundreds of thousands of dollars on their own hybrid ILS and totally original experiences.
The average library now has an operating budget of $10,000 for their digital collection. Building public awareness should be the top priority and often is the most neglected. How do you let the general library population and the greater community at large know that you even offer ebooks? Libraries tend never to run advertising campaigns or do local marketing at any level. This hampers the digital adoption because they have no way of letting the younger demographic know they can get thousands of free ebooks from the library. Why focus on what the existing users are doing when 70% of all your core demographic aren’t even using digital?
Libraries these days are faced with having to generate their own promotional vehicles. A few libraries are placing cards in each book with a link to the ebook or having QR codes spread around the library location. Some are making posters and others are running events in schools and old folks homes. Sadly, most libraries don’t have dedicated marketing division. Of course, the big ones do, like the New York Public Library, but the 99% of the others are faced with the challenge to promote themselves alongside all their other duties as a community figure.
Every single library we talked to at ALA was feeling tremendous pressure to promote their digital collections. Some were seriously looking at Overdrive’s terminals to boost public awareness and others were looking at more guerrilla marketing. In the end, there is no service or resources to help libraries promote their digital collection. There are no collections of free open sourced software, communities, and marketing materials that offer step by step tutorials or have seasonal advice. ALA does its best, but its materials are not current and it really doesn’t have any savvy digital kids generating modern materials. 3M and Overdrive offer very generic stuff, but that ropes you into dealing with them. What if your collection is more academic or focused on small publishers and there are no public resources for you? I don’t think libraries should worry about digital discovery, they should be more concerned about discovering the digital collection.
◇Overdrive Shows Off Library Media Station at ALA 2013
http://goodereader.com/blog/american-library-association/overdrive-shows-off-library-media-station-at-ala-2013
(JUL 05, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
Overdrive is currently the largest digital ebook company that facilitates the loaning of content to libraries. At the American Library Association 2013 conference in Chicago, the company showed off its new Library Media Station.
The Overdrive Media Station is a touchscreen terminal that users can browse the library’s ebook, audiobook, music, and video collection. The terminal itself features Overdrive Read, which is its HTML5 technology that allows users to read samples and listen to audio right on the terminal. There are QR codes and an entry for your email address, so it can quickly send you the link to download the full copy of any type of content you want to borrow.
The Media Station in this video, features an “all in one” PC, but libraries can use their own touchscreen computers if they have licensing deals with other hardware companies. David Burleigh of Overdrive told me that “Libraries can purchase the optimized 27 inch touchscreen computer from us, or use their own. If they decide they want their IT department to deploy different computers, we will work with our partners to insure everything works properly.”
The one great thing about this Media Station is that libraries have a great deal of flexibility in showcasing their collections. They can create their own sections on the main home screen for genres they want to promote. This can be anything from Young Adult to the recent Best Sellers they have added. Of course, there are branding options to showcase the libraries’ logos and taglines.
You might notice in this video that we show you the new streaming video service. Overdrive is quietly testing this in beta, and has not announced anything official about the program yet. What we do know is that Overdrive signed a deal with Criterion Pictures USA and they were displaying a bunch of movies that are in the video below. Overdrive has other deals in play and will be announcing a series of studios and companies in the next few months. One of the big things they are working on is PPV movies and one shot events, something no library has ever able to offer before.
◇DCWG Shifts Focus as Ebook Landscape Evolves | ALA 2013
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/07/ebooks/dcwg-shifts-focus-as-ebook-landscape-evolves-ala-2013/
(July 5, 2013 By Matt Enis The Digital Shift)
ALA Digital Content Working GroupAll of the Big Six publishers are now working with libraries on ebook lending in some capacity, but pricing and licensing terms remain unfavorable in many cases, Saturday’s “ALA, Ebooks, and Digital Content: What’s Next?” panel at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago concluded. Meanwhile, concerns about long-term preservation of ebooks and other digital content are coming to the fore, and libraries are beginning to ponder what role they might play in the emerging self-publishing market.
“While access is improving, pricing [by the Big Six] is not really improving all that much,” said Alan S. Inouye, director of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) during the panel.
Inouye noted that the library ebook outlook has improved significantly since ALA first convened its Digital Content and Libraries Working Group (DCWG) in January 2012, but the current environment is far from ideal.
“A year and a half ago, frankly we didn’t know if we’d ever get here, or how long it would take,” he said. “So having all of the Big Six publishers involved in the library ebook market [either through active licensing programs or pilot tests] is a great thing. On the other hand… there’s still a lot more to do.”
While continuing to deal with unresolved issues concerning ebook availability and pricing, ALA and the DCWG must begin to determine what other digital content topics they are best suited to address.
Inouye was joined by five other DCWG members, including panelists Sari Feldman, DCWG co-chair and executive director of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH; Nate Hill, assistant director of technology and digital initiatives for the Chattanooga Public Library, TN; Rebecca Kennison, director of the Center for Digital Research and Scholarship, Columbia University, NY; and Clifford Lynch, executive director of the Coalition for Networked Information. The panel was moderated by Robert Wolven, Columbia University librarian and DCWG co-chair.
Self-publishing and digital content production have begun emerging as one likely component of the field’s future, Wolven said.“Libraries are doing a lot of things around producing, making available, [and] disseminating digital content. It’s the library not as a consumer [of content from publishers], but as producer, creator, and disseminator.”
Lynch agreed, arguing that “this is something that really should not be overlooked. We’re seeing a renaissance in authors being able to take their own works to the public, which is wonderful on many, many bases, but very problematic in terms of the institutions and the practices that we’ve set up to cope with that. We owe it to those authors and to the public to sort that out.”
◎PUBLISHING THE LITTLE THINGS
The library’s role as publisher does not have to be limited to ebooks, Hill said. Two years ago, during a presentation at the South by Southwest Interactive conference, Hill proposed an idea for a modified ILS that would allow patrons to write and publish ebooks on a library platform, and would enable other patrons to up-vote or otherwise vouch for self-published content that they liked.
“I thought this was a super-awesome idea,” he said. “It seemed really interesting. And then I went and worked for the next year in Chattanooga, and it struck me that the notion that people were going to change their mental model of what a library is and actually do something that involved, that engaged?not so much. When I think of what we’re talking about with content creation in the library, I’d be satisfied if we had a lot of people coming in creating animated GIFs. People coming in and creating micro pieces of content that aren’t big serious heavy volumes and whatnot.”
The concept of content creation and publishing ties in with the budding MakerSpace movement, Hill added, noting that Chattanooga is prototyping these types of services.
“The concept has taken us to a point where we’re producing physical content. We know that we’re going to be an entry point in this bigger ecosystem…. It’s OK for us to be a place where people go and dabble a little bit. They can fail and have their ideas, and then move on to a commercial space or a business incubator.”
A media lab could be viewed similarly, he said?as a MakerSpace for digital content.
◎NEW NECESSITIES
Academic libraries are further along in their adoption of publishing as a central function, with many now maintaining institutional repositories or publishing open access journals. But these institutions are facing their own set of questions regarding how that role will evolve.
“How do we, within the library…help our researchers to really get their stuff in a form where people can access it, can use it, and can build on it?” Kennison said.
Columbia’s Center for Digital Research and Scholarship currently hosts and works with a variety of digital collaboration systems, she said. But in addition to maintaining appropriate platforms for a variety of different types of content, the library also helps faculty and students navigate the changing world of publishing.
“We do provide a variety of platforms [and] hosting services. We also do consultation. What are some best practices? We talk about open access versus subscription [journals and databases]…We deal with a variety of business models…. A lot of people don’t know anything about author transfer agreements, that they can’t just stick something up and call it copyrighted, trustees of Columbia University.”
Publishing can become a complex endeavor, but as many academic libraries have discovered, the function can help give an institution better long-term control over a portion of its intellectual output. And as Lynch pointed out, in an environment of loan limits, digital rights management software, and subscription-based content licensing, libraries must be aware of how challenging it may become to preserve digital content over which they do not have such control.
“This is one [challenge] that really haunts me, and I can’t tell you how delighted I am that we are starting to talk about that,” Lynch said. “Our cultural record, and the materials that our libraries deal with, covers a lot more than books or ebooks. In particular, it covers sound recordings, video materials, things like that. In a sense, what we have today?as opposed to what we can see coming in the future for libraries and ebooks?is kind of a crisis of convenience. We can’t get things in ebook form under the terms we need, but we have the safety net that we can buy it in print…. The really dangerous stuff happens when cultural materials of high impact stop being produced in a format that we can apply first sale to.”
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Filed Under: Acquisition and Fulfillment, Copyright, Ebooks, Featured, Preservation Tagged With: ALA 2013, DCWG, Digital Content and Libraries Working Group, LJ
◇AWA 2013: 5% der Deutschen besitzen einen E-Reader
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/online/online_nachricht/datum/2013/07/05/papier-bleibt-die-erste-wahl.htm
(2013年7月05日 buchreport)
Auch wenn viele Verlage im Bestsellerbereich von E-Book-Anteilen um die 20% sprechen: Beim Blick auf den Gesamtmarkt spielt das digitale Lesen noch eine geringe Rolle. Dies zeigen auch die Zahlen des Instituts fur Demoskopie Allensbach. Die Marktforscher haben in der AWA 2013 u.a. ermittelt, wie viele Deutsche einen E-Reader besitzen und wie die Bevolkerung zum digitalen Lesen steht.
Die branchenrelevanten Ergebnisse der Studie (hier im Original):
3,3% der Deutschen (hochgerechnet 2,35 Mio) lesen zumindest gelegentlich Bucher auf elektronischen Geraten. Zum Vergleich: Im vergangenen Jahr waren es nur 2,6%. Der Hightech-Verband Bitkom hatte im Oktober noch von deutlich hoheren Zahlen gesprochen.
Mehr als zwei Drittel lesen langere Texte lieber auf Papier. 21,7% lesen genauso gerne auf dem Bildschirm wie auf Papier.
Hochgerechnet 3,66 Mio Deutsche (5,2%) besitzen nach eigenen Angaben einen E-Reader. 3,5% mochten sich demnachst einen E-Reader kaufen. In der Vorjahresstudie wurde diese Frage noch nicht gestellt.
6% bzw. 4,22 Mio haben in den vergangenen 12 Monaten ein E-Book gekauft.
Die Zahl der Buchkaufer hat leicht zugenommen: Wahrend 2012 noch 58,4% der Befragten angaben, in den vergangenen zwolf Monaten ein Buch gelesen zu haben, sind es aktuell 59,1%.
Dagegen sind die Horbuch-Kaufer leicht zuruckgegangen: Von 7,7% auf 7,4%.
Fur die Studie wurden bundesweit rund 25.000 Interviews durchgefuhrt. Die Ergebnisse sind reprasentativ fur die deutschsprachige Bevolkerung ab 14 Jahren.
◇【イベント】立命館大「文化情報学専修」設置準備企画連続講演会第3回「学術電子出版ビジネスと図書館〜『活字が消えた日』から20年」(7/25・京都)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23870
(2013年7月4日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年7月25日に、立命館大学は、“キャンパスプラザ京都6階第1講習室”において、講演会「学術電子出版ビジネスと図書館 〜『活字が消えた日』から20年」を開催します。第1部に中西秀彦氏(中西印刷株式会社専務取締役)による講演があり、その後の第2部でディスカッションが予定されています。
この講演会は、同大学大学院文学研究科行動文化情報学専攻「文化情報学専修」設置準備企画連続講演会の第3回として開催されるものです。8月3日には、第4回目の講演会として、“立命館大学アート・リサーチセンター2階多目的ルーム”において、米国カリフォルニア大学バークリー校メアリ・エリザベス・ベリー(Mary Elizabeth Berry)氏による“Educating the Material Girl in the Edo Period: The Jokunsho as Consumption History”が予定されています。
◎学術電子出版ビジネスと図書館 〜『活字が消えた日』から20年 (立命館大学) http://www.arc.ritsumei.ac.jp/lib/GCOE/info/2013/07/-3.html
◎Educating the Material Girl in the Edo Period: The Jokunsho as Consumption History(立命館大学) http://www.arc.ritsumei.ac.jp/lib/GCOE/info/2013/08/-4.html
◇電子書籍ライセンスを国が購入し公共図書館を通じて提供へ 背景には不正利用の横行も(スペイン)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23866
(2013年7月4日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
スペインの教育・文化・スポーツ省が、2014年初頭から、電子書籍1,500タイトルのライセンス20万件を購入し、それらを公共図書館の登録利用者1,200万人に対して提供すると発表しました。購入費用は約200万ユーロにものぼるようです。
同国では、電子書籍を利用したことがある人の68%が非合法で利用していたとする調査結果も出ており、同省の図書館計画局長のAlejandro Carrion氏は「国内の地域の図書館システムとネットワークをつないで、法を順守した電子書籍の利用を促進したい」としています。また、若者の読書振興も目的とされています。
◎El Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte promueve el prestamo bibliotecario de libros electronicos (Biblioteca Nacional de Espana 2013/7/2付けの記事) http://www.bne.es/es/AreaPrensa/noticias2013/0702_PrestamoLibrosElectronicos.html
◎Libros electronicos en las bibliotecas publicas a partir de 2014 (El Pais 2013/7/3付けの記事) http://cultura.elpais.com/cultura/2013/07/03/actualidad/1372846947_355666.html
◎Doscientas mil licencias de ebooks para las bibliotecas publicas espanolas (ABC 2013/7/3付けの記事) http://www.abc.es/cultura/20130703/abci-doscientas-licencias-ebooks-para-201307031106.html
◇Pottermore Loses Chief Wizard to HarperCollins
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/pottermore-loses-chief-wizard-to-harpercollins/
(July 3, 2013 | Jeremy Greenfield Digital Book World)
Charlie Redmayne is leaving Pottermore for a familiar company: HarperCollins.
He will be the new CEO of HarperCollins UK, leaving the same position at Pottermore. Redmayne came to Pottermore from HarperCollins, where he was chief digital officer.
Redmayne shook the book publishing world last year when he led Pottermore into ebook sales relationships with Amazon and other retailers that had beforehand been unheard of. Pottermore arranged to have Amazon and others send readers to it to buy ebooks, thereby giving Pottermore control of the consumer relationships and data.
HarperCollins has a new consumer focus. How will Redmayne fit into that? Watch him in an interview at paidContent Live in 2012.
Related: HarperCollins Director of Audience Development Jim Hanas
◇Why Charlie Redmayne Will Be a Brilliant CEO for HarperCollins UK
http://goodereader.com/blog/digital-publishing/why-charlie-redmayne-will-be-a-brilliant-ceo-for-harpercollins-uk
(JUL 03, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
Charlie Redmayne has left Pottermore to take the top leadership position at HarperCollins UK. Redmayne has been with the interactive Harry Potter website since the beta release in 2011, but is now leaving in order to fill the shoes of retiring CEO Victoria Barnsley.
HarperCollins is a publishing company in a state of flux and Charlie is joining the executive team during a time of restructure. Over the course of the last few months, News Corp shareholders agreed to split the company into two publicly traded entities. The larger company, 21st Century Fox, will include Fox Broadcasting, the Hollywood studio, and television channels. The news division now oversees all of the newspapers and HarperCollins.
It has come full circle for Charlie. He initially spearheaded HarperCollins UK digital division and was with the company when it started to really focus on digital. He will bring the startup mentality back to one of the largest publishing companies in the world and redouble its efforts to be more tech savvy. Charlie displaces Victoria Barnsley who has been the CEO for the last 13 years.
When it came to promoting Pottermore, Charlie traveled the media circuit more than his peers. He attended the London Book Fair, Future Book, and many others. He met with Good e-Reader on a few occasions and really introduced some innovative ideas to the company. One of his biggest accomplishments was abandoning bulky encryption and going with digital watermarks. This tactic won Pottermore the Digital Strategy of the Year award, presented by the UK Booksellers Association. He also made Pottermore very profitable, and although financial figures aren’t normally disclosed, it did push out 5 million in sales during the launch month.
Not only does Pottermore sell all of the Harry Potter digital ebooks, but it also has an online world for Harry Potter fans to explore. The premise is to live in the Harry Potter universe by playing a minor character in the school. Players can choose their house via the Sorting Hat, engage in spell duels, and save the school from dark magic. It is proving to be very popular.
The one thing Redmayne will bring to the CEO position is his trailblazing innovation towards making HarperCollins more relevant. We have all heard about the recent merger between Penguin and Random House; it just launched yesterday and will account for 1/4 of all books printed and 1/2 of all the books on the NY Times Best Seller list. The stakes of been raised in the game of publishing and HarperCollins needs to step up its game in order to compete.
Sources have disclosed that one thing Charlie wants to do is implement the Black Crown model for some of the company’s new properties. When big movie titles come out, there is often a video game released to build synergy between the two products. The new television show, Defiance, has created buzz with creating a persistent online game world. Random House capitalized on this growing trend of media convergence with a new, story-based video game that was launched in conjunction with an ebook. The project was called Black Crown and is powered by Failbetter Games’ StoryNexus platform. Charlie is going to experiment with ebook campaigns that are similar to this and take more risks with transmedia storytelling.
In the end, Charlie is joining HarperCollins during a time of massive upheaval. HarperCollins needs to create buzz about its books and step up its marketing efforts. Charlie will bring the startup mentality to the organization and use the skills he learned at Pottermore. I don’t think they could have hired a finer man or a better fit for the position.
◇書籍全体に占める電子書籍の割合は約8%に?米国市場動向と比較しながら今後を見る
http://on-deck.jp/archives/634
(2013.07.02 text:中島由弘/OnDeck編集委員)
インプレスグループでは電子書籍の黎明期である2003年から電子書籍市場の調査を継続していて、今年で11年目を迎える。2012年度の推計値によると、電子書籍市場規模は729億円で、前年(2011年)の629億円から100億円(15.9%)増加している。ここでは、電子書籍の市場規模について発表資料をもとに解説するとともに、米国の市場動向との比較をしながら、さらにニュースを読み解いてみよう。
◎日本の2012年度の電子書籍市場規模は前年比15.9%増の729億円
本年度の調査結果によると、日本の2012年度の電子書籍市場規模は前年比15.9%増の729億円と推計している。特に、日本の場合はPCや携帯電話(フィーチャーフォン、いわゆる“ガラケー”)でのコミックやケータイ小説の市場が立ち上がっていたことが特徴となっている。そして、2012年には楽天グループのコボ、アマゾン社のキンドル、アップル社のiBookstoreをはじめ、国内の大手書店などが運営する電子書籍ストアーが続々とオープンし、この調査でいうところの“新たなプラットフォーム向け電子書籍市場”が本格的にスタートした年ということができるだろう。今後はこの“新たなプラットフォーム”が成長をし、2017年には2390億円になると予測をしている。
図1:日本の電子書籍市場規模の推移(出典:http://www.impressbm.co.jp/news/130627/ebook201)
図1:日本の電子書籍市場規模の推移(出典:http://www.impressbm.co.jp/news/130627/ebook201)
◎日本の電子書籍売上シェアは約8%か
では、この日本市場の規模は先行する米国市場との比較ではどう位置づけられるのだろうか。米国の書籍市場規模についてはAAP(Association of American Publishers;米国出版社協会)とBISG(Book Industry Study Group;書籍産業調査研究グループ)が調査しているBookStat2013の数字を使う。これは出版業界で標準的に参照されている調査結果である。この数字を利用する際の注意点としては、日本の市場規模の調査が小売をベースにしているのに対して、BookStat2013では出版社の出荷(卸)をベースとしている点だ。これを小売ベースの規模に拡大するためには、米国市場での出荷ベースの金額を約2倍にすると近似すると言われている。ただし、出版物の発行区分なども日本とは異なるので、単純に分析をすることはできない。ここではあくまで市場規模のイメージを大雑把に把握する程度での利用に留めている。
このBookStat2013によれば、2012年の米国の電子書籍市場規模(出荷)は30億4200万ドル(約3000億円)で、これは前年2011年と比較すると44%増(1.44倍)になっている。また、一般書分野の書籍全体(プリント版と電子書籍)での市場規模(出荷)は150億4900万ドル(約1兆5000億円)で、同じく前年2012年と比較すると6.9%増(1.069倍)と微増となった。したがって、電子書籍は一般書籍全体に対して、約20%を占めるに至っている。つまり、5冊に1冊が電子書籍ということである。
対前年度からの成長率でいうと、2012年は44%となり、それまでは3桁の成長を続けてきたことと比べると“鈍化”していると評されているようだ。しかし、大局的な産業界の見方としてはこれからも電子書籍市場の拡大は続くと見ている人が多く、安定成長期に向かいつつあるといってよいのではないだろうか。
図2:米国電子書籍市場規模(出荷)推移(出典:Publishers WeeklyのBookStat2013に関する報道を元に編集部グラフを作成)
図2:米国電子書籍市場規模(出荷)推移(出典:Publishers WeeklyのBookStat2013に関する報道を元に編集部グラフを作成)
さて、米国の書籍全体に対する電子書籍の売上構成比が20%であるということは大手の出版社の業績発表からもうかがい知ることができる。つぎの表が直近で発表されている各社の業績発表から電子書籍(一部の出版社は電子書籍にオーディオブックを含む)の売上構成比を抜き出しているものである。
図3:直近に発表になった大手の出版社の売上に対する電子書籍(オーディオブック)の売上構成比率(各社ニュースリリース、報道記事を参考に編集部で作成)
図3:直近に発表になった大手の出版社の売上に対する電子書籍(オーディオブック)の売上構成比率(各社ニュースリリース、報道記事を参考に編集部で作成)
ここでも、電子書籍の売上構成比はおおむね20%を超えたあたりにあり、BookStat2013の結果とも符合する。ただし、ここに挙げたビッグシックスと呼ばれている米国の大手の出版社は市場でのシェアも大きいのでマクロな調査の結果と連動しているようにみえるのだが、多くの中小独立系出版社では状況も大きく異なるだろう。まったく取り組めていないところもあるだろうし、逆にフットワークも軽く扱うメディアの種類を変更したところもあるかもしれない。
一方、日本の書籍市場規模は出版科学研究所が2013年1月25日に発表した8013億円がよく参照されているが、この中に含まれるのはプリント版の書籍の売上のみで、電子書籍の売上は含まれていないと仮定する。これにインターネットメディア総合研究所が発表している冒頭で紹介した電子書籍市場規模の729億円を加えると8742億円となり、電子書籍の構成比は約8%になる。この売上構成比は米国の2009年頃の数字と近い。つまり約3年遅れて成長をしている市場といえるかもしれない。
つぎの業界的な関心はいつ電子書籍の売上構成比が50%を超えるか、つまりプリント版の出荷を電子書籍が超えるのはいつかということであろう。これに関して、米国の大手のコンサルティング会社であるプライスウォーターハウスクーパース(PwC)が2013年6月に“2017年に電子書籍がプリント版書籍を逆転”するという予測を発表している。日本が米国から3年遅れで進行していると考えると、日本で50%、つまり4000億円規模(書籍市場規模が今年の規模を維持した場合)に到達するのは2020年ごろといえるかもしれない。
図4:プライスウォーターハウスクーパースが発表した電子書籍とプリント版書籍の売上逆転予測(http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/global-entertainment-media-outlook/index.jhtml)
図4:プライスウォーターハウスクーパースが発表した電子書籍とプリント版書籍の売上逆転予測(http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/global-entertainment-media-outlook/index.jhtml)
なお、日本の電子書籍市場規模についての詳細な調査結果は、発売予定の下記の調査報告書に記載されている。
書名:電子書籍ビジネス調査報告書2013
編者:インターネットメディア総合研究所
発売日:2013年7月18日(木)
価格:CD(PDF)版60,900円(税込)/CD(PDF)+冊子版71,400円(税込)
判型:A4判 ページ数:250p
URL:http://r.impressrd.jp/iil/ebook2013
◇3M Talks Discusses New Digital Library Consortium Program
http://goodereader.com/blog/american-library-association/3m-talks-discusses-new-digital-library-consortium-program
(JUL 01, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
Library Consortiums are gaining momentum as a viable way for many smaller locations to make group purchases. One of the problems facing small libraries is that many of the top publishing companies either limit or do not allow their books to be sold via this model. 3M has created a new way for consortiums all over the USA to buy ebooks, from any publisher.
The 3M Private Cloud is a new program that will allow the library responsible for group purchases to buy titles in bulk and then distribute them to all of others. The Personal Cloud functions as a centralized hub to buy Penguin and Hachette titles, something they wouldn’t normally be able to access. Any of the other libraries can instantly have all of their digital books delivered into their ILS systems and available for lending. Obviously, all the libraries involved have to buy into the 3M Cloud Library system.
Today, we talked to Tom Mercer, the head of sales at 3M. One of the new projects we discussed allows libraries to try hundreds of titles for free, for one year. This is basically designed for people on the fence on making digital content available in their library, but aren’t sure about all the costs involved or if the public will embrace it. 3M will allow libraries to access hundreds of free books and see for themselves if this program is for them. If the library does not renew, the books will automatically expire after the first year.
Over the course of our interview, we check out the growth of 3M, how the company handles ebook discovery, and talk about its relationships with major publishers in the trial programs in New York.
◇Peter Suber氏、自著“Open Access”(2012年6月刊行)をオープンアクセスで公開
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23834
(2013年7月1日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米国ハーバード大学の学術コミュニケーション室長で、オープンアクセス(OA)運動の中心的な人物でもあるPeter Suber氏が、2012年6月にマサチューセッツ工科大学出版局から刊行した自著“Open Access”をオープンアクセスで公開しました。EPUB、Mobi、PDF、HTMLで公開されていますが、印刷版は有料となっています。
◎Open Access (The MIT Press) http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/open-access
◎Open Access (the book) http://bit.ly/oa-book
◎Perter Suber氏のGoogle+ページでのOA化告知 https://plus.google.com/u/0/109377556796183035206/posts/auHGrc4Abz4?utm_term=%23oa&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
◇When Libraries Become Retailers
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/when-libraries-become-retailers
(JUN 29, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
One of the biggest topics at the American Library Association Annual Conference 2013 in Chicago was libraries as retailers. Libraries are, in essence, public bodies that get their funding from local government and federal taxes. That libraries are adding a “Buy It Now” button to their websites is beginning to become a polarizing issue. Some people are in the camp that the small commissions can be used to reinvest into their content acquisitions and others say selling books has no place in the library.
Libraries have always sold used books or organized their own book fairs to sell used content. The one thing libraries have seldom done would be selling new books. Selling new titles hit the public consciousness when Simon and Schuster started its digital pilot project at the New York, Brooklyn, and Queens library. Baker and Taylor, 3M, and Overdrive facilitated the digital lending of the books and part of this project was to experiment with “Buy It Now” buttons. The essence behind this was to encourage patrons to simply buy the book if the waiting list was too long. All of the data is currently being condensed to see if it was successful or not and whether S&S will do a broad roll-out all over the USA.
Overdrive and 3M had to develop their own systems to allow library patrons to buy books from their services. Currently, Overdrive only allows purchases from its website and not its individual apps or Library Media Stations. If you have a Kindle e-Reader, Overdrive has actually allowed people to buy ebooks for years. 3M does not process payments directly and instead goes through a 3rd party. Baker and Taylor has made adjustments to its “My Library Bookstore” system. If you are not familiar with this platform, it is an online e-commerce website that allows patrons to buy physical books from libraries doing business with Baker and Taylor, and have them delivered to their homes. Axis 360 now has a solid program in place that will allow the company to sell ebooks and audiobooks.
The actual commission structure is not really known at this point, but each library is earning less than $1,000 per month on purchases being made. Douglas County Library has had a “Buy It Now” button for over a year, but Jamie LaRue has mentioned that his library has only generated a few hundred dollars total, which is a drop in the bucket.
Libraries all over the US and Canada are considering adding the ability for patrons to buy ebooks directly from their online websites. Some of the largest barriers to the mass implementation are library boards. Larger libraries have a board of directors with many different viewpoints. It is often very hard to reach a cohesive strategy on the viability of this new project. Currently, there is no standardized way to facilitate the buying process. If a library deals with the likes of 3M, Axis 360, or Overdrive, it can opt into adding the button to make purchases. If a library is totally against it, it doesn’t have to use this particular feature.
The big question is, should libraries become retail outlets for digital book sales? We talked to over 20 different libraries with very different viewpoints. Maureen Sullivan, President of the ALA, told me, “There are some very excellent opportunities for libraries to make additional revenue by pursuing this new business model. I think libraries will always be non-profit and will not shift to being consumer focused.”
◇Google Play Books Launched in Austria, Belgium, Ireland & Portugal
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/google-play-books-launched-in-austria-belgium-ireland-portugal
(JUN 28, 2013 By Sovan Mandal Good E-Reader)
Google it seems is adopting a very cautious approach when it is about unveiling its Google Books in other countries. In the latest development on this front, Google Play Books has quietly introduced it in four more countries. Austria, Belgium, Portugal and Ireland now have the ability to download eBooks from the official Google Play Store. However, its not known if Play Movies and Magazines too can be available With this recent expansion, the total number of countries where Google Play Books is now live stands at 18.
Also, its just 6 countries including the latest 4 where Google has unveiled its Play Books store this year, with the other two being Mexico and India. This surely belies the huge popularity that Google’s Android platform enjoys around the world. Maybe they should get their act together on this and try and get licensing agreements and content partnerships in place to ensure Android users the world over have easy access to the Google Play Book Store.
◇WIPOの視覚障害者等による著作物利用に関する国際条約の制定に向けた外交会議、合意に達する
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23805
(2013年6月27日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
世界知的所有権機関(WIPO)の視覚障害者等による著作物利用に関する国際条約の制定に向けた外交会議について、加盟国の担当者が条項について合意に達したとのことです。採択は6月27日に開かれる総会で行われる予定とのことです。
◎Agreement reached on provisions of new treaty to ease access to books for visually impaired persons. For adoption on June 27(WIPO, 2013/6/26付け) http://www.wipo.int/dc2013/en/news/2013/news_0010.html
http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/multimedia/en/dc2013/marrakesh_agreement.swf
◎Miracle In Marrakesh: “Historic” Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed (Intellectual Property Watch, 2013/6/26付け) http://www.ip-watch.org/2013/06/26/miracle-in-marrakesh-historic-treaty-for-visually-impaired-agreed/
http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/WIPO-Dipl-Conf-Adopted-Draft-Treaty-June-2013.pdf
◎Digital copy of text on Marrakesh treaty for the blind, as approved by Committee 1(knowledge Ecology International, 2013/6/28付け) http://www.keionline.org/node/1764
◎Group finalizes treaty to expand book access for world’s blind community(Washington Post, 2013/6/26付け) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/group-finalizes-treaty-to-expand-book-access-for-worlds-blind-community/2013/06/26/461311fe-de83-11e2-948c-d644453cf169_blog.html
◇Copyright Clearance Center Enhances Academic Library Offering
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/copyright-clearance-center-enhances-academic-library-offering/
(June 27, 2013 Digital Book World)
Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), a not-for-profit organization creating global licensing and content solutions that make copyright work for everyone, announces enhancements to its award-winning Get It Now academic solution, including the integration of OCLC’s ILL Fee Management (IFM) Service and the addition of five new publishers: ME Sharpe Inc., Human Kinetics, Akademiai Kiado, Cognizant Communication and World Scientific Publishers. This brings the total number of publishers participating in the service to 55.
“This new delivery option originated with input from OCLC members, many of whom already benefit from the workflow efficiencies and savings of time and money that result from using IFM to manage payment of fees related to interlibrary loan”
sed at over 175 institutions, Get It Now complements ILL services by providing library patrons with immediate fulfillment of full-text articles from unsubscribed journals ? 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Through a year-long cooperative effort between CCC, OCLC and Atlas Systems, this highly requested new feature gives academic libraries that have adopted Get It Now the option to pay for article purchases using their IFM account.
OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to furthering access to the world’s information and reducing library costs. The OCLC IFM service helps libraries reduce administrative costs by allowing users to pay ? and be paid for ? ILL lending charges through their OCLC invoices. The service reduces the workload and time spent generating invoices and writing checks. It also supports reciprocal ILL agreements among libraries. The Get It Now/IFM integration requires ILLiad v8.4, the mediated workflow of Get It Now, and the Get It Now add-on for ILLiad v2.0.
“This integration further demonstrates CCC, OCLC, and Atlas Systems’ commitment to academic libraries and improving content acquisition,” said Tim Bowen, CCC Director, Academic Products & Services. “Our mutual customers asked for the ability to pay for Get It Now articles via IFM in ILLiad, and through the hard work and persistence of all three organizations, I’m pleased to say it can now be done.”
“This new delivery option originated with input from OCLC members, many of whom already benefit from the workflow efficiencies and savings of time and money that result from using IFM to manage payment of fees related to interlibrary loan,” said Katie Birch, OCLC Director of Delivery Services. “The new option extends the convenience of IFM to purchasing through CCC’s Get It Now service and through other partner sites in the future. This functionality is an example of OCLC’s strategy to broaden its delivery services to include expanded options for buying needed resources instead of borrowing them. “
Institutions are participating in CCC’s pilot program, including Murray State University, I.U.P.U.I., SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Brockport. The pilot program is scheduled to conclude on July 31 with general availability of the new feature scheduled for August 1.
To encourage the use of IFM with Get It Now, CCC and OCLC are offering a promotional campaign for ILLiad libraries. For each Get It Now article request placed and paid for through IFM between August 1 and November 30, 2013, institutions will automatically be entered into a raffle to win one of two $250 “Vernon Bucks” gift certificates from Vernon Library Supplies.
◇若者の図書館利用と図書館への期待は?Pew Research Centerの調査結果より(米国)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23798
(2013年6月26日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年6月25日、米国調査機関Pew Research CenterのPew Internet & American Life Projectが、若者の図書館利用と図書館への期待に関する調査レポート“Younger Americans’ Library Habits and Expectations”を公表しています。この調査レポートは、2012年10月15日から11月10日かけて、16歳以上の米国人2,252人に対して行われた電話調査に基づくものです。
サマリーによると、以下のような点が明らかになったとのことです。
・米国の若者(レポートでは16歳から29歳)は、30歳以上の人と同程度図書館を訪問し、書籍(印刷版)の貸出や書棚のブラウジングについても同程度に行っている。
・若者は、図書館に図書館員がいることが、貸出用の本があるのと同様に重要と考えており、「図書館サービスが自動化すべき」、「多くのサービスがオンラインに移行すべき」、「印刷版の書籍がパブリックエリアからなくなるべき」、と考えている人はわずかである。
・若者は、30歳以上の人よりも、図書館のインターネットやコンピュータを使い、またデータベース等の図書館の調査情報資源を使っている。
・図書館を勉強のため、あるいはぶらぶらと時間をすごす(hang out)ために利用している人は、30歳以上の人では45%なのに対して、若者では60%となっている。
◎Younger Americans’ Library Habits and Expectations(2013/6/25付け) http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/06/25/younger-americans-library-services/
◎PDF(57ページ) http://libraries.pewinternet.org/files/2013/06/PIP_Younger_Americans_and_libraries.pdf
◇W3C、EPUB/Open Web両陣営の交流を深める目的で「W3C Digital Publishing Activity」ページ公開
http://hon.jp/news/1.0/0/4499/
(2013-06-26 08:08:30 hon.jp DayWatch)
XMLやSVGなどWeb関連技術の規格策定を行なっているWorld Wide Web Consortium(本部:米国マサチューセッツ州、以後:W3C)は6月25日、電子出版全般に関わる討議を行なうための新グループ「Digital Publishing Interest Group」を創設し、その情報ページ「W3C Digital Publishing Activity」を公開した。
W3C関係者とEPUB関係者は昨年からいくつか電子書籍とOpen Web技術の共存について会議を開いていたが、出版業界とWeb業界の慣習の違いは予想以上に大きく、両陣営を今後も協議させるために今回の新グループを発足。
今後、各グループに枝分かれしてしまっている電子出版にかかわる議論の場は、このDigital Publishing Interest Groupに統合していきたいとのこと。【hon.jp】
◎W3C Digital Publishing Activityページ( http://www.w3.org/dpub/ )
◇3M Launches Next Generation of Its Library Platform
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/3m-launches-next-generation-of-its-library-platform/
(June 25, 2013 Digital Book World)
Powerful new features include Recommended Reads powered through partnership with NoveList
3M Library Systems will unveil a fresh and re-imagined interface for its 3M? SelfCheck? system at the American Library Association Annual Conference & Exhibition, June 27 ? July 1 in Chicago. After developing the SelfCheck category more than 20 years ago, 3M continues its leadership with the new 3M? SelfCheck? QuickConnect Interface, which gives libraries brand new tools to increase circulation, promote events, and enhance the user experience?all with a simplified interface that helps users do more with fewer steps.
Through an exciting new partnership, 3M SelfCheck stations will now draw on the power of NoveListR Select to give customers title recommendations from the library’s catalog based on the materials they are checking out. Customers can then place a title on hold, or print or e-mail recommendations. With eye-catching displays of cover art and summaries, the Recommended Reads feature engages customers, helping to plan their next visit and keep them coming back to the library. 3M’s system for providing recommendations through the library catalog at SelfCheck is patent pending.
“Libraries will have an opportunity to connect more strongly to those patrons who may ordinarily do no more than come in the library, pick up a book, check out and leave,” said Duncan Smith, vice president of NoveList. “Now those ‘drive by’ readers will have a reason to plan their next visit to the library.”
The new QuickConnect Interface also gives libraries the opportunity and the tools to promote events, activities and services. The Patron Promos feature makes it easy to upload customized promotions and display them to customers at checkout, making an impression when you have their full attention.
“The SelfCheck kiosk is typically the last interaction the patron has with the library before leaving, so it’s important to us to take advantage of those moments and leave a lasting impression,” said Carolyn Anthony, director of the Skokie Public Library. “The new interface lets us promote more of our offerings, and tools like Recommended Reads help us deliver a high level of service to patrons and keep them coming back.”
The new look of the system is similar to familiar mobile and tablet interfaces, designed for patrons to be able to easily navigate to the features they need via a streamlined process. Additional ease-of-use upgrades include simple animations to guide users through the check-out process and enhanced assistance buttons available on every screen.
On the back end, the QuickConnect Interface offers robust new features with a completely redesigned system manager. Libraries are given flexible tools and the ability to meet their specific needs by choosing from dozens of configurable design templates and themes. Library staff can easily access reports and navigate the system to find the information they need. The system is also optimized for tablets, so library staff can access it from a variety of devices.
“3M SelfCheck systems have been helping libraries optimize circulation for more than 20 years,” said Skip Driessen, business manager, 3M Library Systems. “With the new SelfCheck QuickConnect, we’re continuing that innovation by giving libraries tools to increase circulation and patron engagement today, as well as an enhanced platform that will resonate with patrons and help meet the needs of their communities.”
The new SelfCheck QuickConnect will be showcased at the 3M Library Systems booth, number 1636, at the ALA Exhibition. The system will be available for sale in late 2013.
For more information, visit 3M.com/QuickConnect.
◇ALRC、著作権法改革に関するディスカッションペーパーを公表(オーストラリア)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23651
(2013年6月5日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年6月5日、オーストラリアのALRC(Australian Law Reform Commission)が、著作権法改革に関する42の質問及び提言事項を含むディスカッションペーパーを公表しています。これに対する意見募集を7月31日まで受け付け、その後、意見に基づきALRCは11月30日までにファイナルペーパーを作成し、法務大臣に提出するとのことです。
◎The Copyright and the Digital Economy Discussion Paper is now available(Australian Library and Information Association, 2013/6/5付け) http://www.alia.org.au/news/1440/copyright-and-digital-economy-discussion-paper-now-available
◎Copyright and the Digital Economy (Australian Law Reform Commission, 2013/6/5付け) http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/copyright-and-digital-economy-dp-79
◎ディスカッションペーパー http://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/dp79_whole_pdf_.pdf
◇MwSt-Debatte bei E-Books: EU-Kommission hat Stimmen gesammelt
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/verlage/verlage_nachricht/datum/2013/06/04/inhalte-wichtiger-als-datentraeger.htm
(04. Juni 2013 (09:28 Uhr) buchreport)
Inhalte wichtiger als Datentrager
Die EU-Kommission sucht nach Perspektiven fur die Zukunft des Mehrwertsteuer-Systems. Im Vorfeld moglicher einer Reform hat Brussel dazu aufgefordert, Vorschlage zur Reform einzureichen. Die 333 eingeschickten Beitrage hat die EU-Kommission ausgewertet. Ein Thema: die Mehrwertsteuer von E-Books.
Einfacher, effizienter, robuster, auf diese Formel bringt die EU-Kommission die geplante Reform des MwSt-Systems. Zu den Institutionen, die sich beteiligt haben, gehoren neben Verbanden wie dem Hessischen Gartnereiverband auf zahlreiche Verlegerverbande und aus Deutschland der Borsenverein.
Die wichtigsten Erkenntnisse aus de Befragung zum Thema E-Book vs. gedrucktes Buch:
Mehrwertsteuer: Fast einheitlich hatten die Befragten erklart, dass ein gleicher Mehrwertsteuersatz fur gedruckte und digitale Bucher gewunscht sei.
Dort, wo ein ermasigter Steuersatz fur Bucher moglich sei, solle dieser auch fur E-Books angesetzt werden.
Grundannahme der meisten Befragten sei, dass ein Buch unabhangig von seinem Format immer ein Buch sei ? dem Leser werde derselbe Inhalt geliefert. Nur eine Minderheit habe dagegen erklart, dass E-Books und gedruckte Bucher nicht vergleichbar seien.
Viele der Befragten erklarten laut EU-Kommission, dass eine Definition des Mediums Buch vonnoten sei, die auf europaischer Ebene angelegt werden solle ? was von Einigen angezweifelt worden sei. Grunde der Skeptiker: Es sei schwierig, mit einer solchen Definition mit dem technologischen Wandel Schritt zu halten; stattdessen sollten Bucher aus Sicht der Verbraucher beschrieben werden. Fur die Leser seien die Inhalte wichtiger als die ?Datentrager“.
Ein Vorschlag zur Definition elektronischer Bucher, die in die Steuergesetzgebung einfliesen konne:
?An electronic book is a work, conceived as a whole in one part or within a finite number of parts by its publisher/author(s), consisting predominantly of textual, photographical and/or graphic content or else in the reading or in the audio rendering of the same content, which is made publicly available in an electronic format. An electronic book can be interactive and can contain non-textual elements, presented in different formats (such as audio, video, hypertext), functionally connected to that predominant content.“
Andere hatten bei ihrer Definitionen dagegen multimedial angereicherte E-Books aus der Definition herausgenommen ? nur die exakte Entsprechung des gedruckten Buches sei als E-Book zu bezeichnen.
Hier die komplette Auswertung der EU-Kommission.
◇Hachette Makes Audiobook Catalog Available to Disabled Readers
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/hachette-makes-audiobook-catalog-available-to-disabled-readers
(JUN 04, 2013 By Mercy Pilkington Good E-Reader)
At this year’s BookExpo America event, OverDrive CEO Steve Potash had some high praise for Hachette’s recent embracing of library lending, making 100% of its catalog available to all public and school libraries who partner for digital content. While other major publishers have been adopters of ebook lending on some scale, Potash’s admiration was for a publisher to look at the very clear data on how lending actually supports authors and publishers, and make a strong decision to support it.
Now, Hachette has gone even further in its support of readers by making the audio editions of its back list and select new releases available free of charge to the NLS, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The NLS is a division of the Library of Congress that meets the unique needs of readers of different abilities.
Nearly twenty years ago, legislation was enacted that allows the NLS to made different versions of books available for the disabled without having to seek the permission of the copyright holder. This allows individuals to enjoy books at the same rate and scale as non-disabled consumers. Unfortunately, while legal and even supported by many publishers, it is still time consuming to create different versions of the books.
“As a publisher, Hachette Book Group strives to make authors’ content as widely accessible as possible, and the NLS program is the perfect channel to reach fans of our books and audiobooks who otherwise may not have the opportunity to experience those works,” Anthony Goff, Hachette’s VP of Audio and Large Print Publishing, said in an announcement about Hachette’s support of the NLS.
According to an article by Matt Enis for The Digital Shift on Hachette’s new program with the NLS, this initiative came about after a fan reached out to author Douglas Preston, asking if he knew when the latest title in the Pendergast series would be available as an audio download through Talking Books. That inquiry led Hachette to evaluate what other means of support it could lend to disabled readers.
◇dbsv-direkt Nr. 22-13 Sicher von Tur zu Tur: Online-Umfrage fur ?m4guide“ gestartet
http://www.dbsv.org/dbsv/aktuelles/alias/article/1765/
(03.06.13 Von: Irene Klein DBSV)
Das Projekt ?m4guide“ befasst sich mit der luckenlosen Navigation von Tur zu Tur und plant hierfur die Entwicklung einer Applikation (App) fur Smartphones. Um die Anforderungen blinder und sehbehinderter Menschen an diese App zu erheben, haben die Projektpartner eine Online-Umfrage gestartet. Unter www.m4guide.dbsv.org ist bis zum 31. August 2013 ein Fragebogen zu finden, der unter anderem Fragen zum individuellen Mobilitatsverhalten und zum Umgang mit technischen Geraten umfasst. Der DBSV ruft alle Betroffenen auf, sich an der Umfrage zu beteiligen und ihre Erfahrungen und Erwartungen einzubringen.
Das Navigationssystem ?m4guide“ soll auf Fuswegen, in Bus und Bahn wie auch innerhalb offentlicher Gebaude einsetzbar sein. Neu an der Entwicklung sind vor allem die punktgenaue Ortung im Blindenstockradius und die Navigation im Indoor-Bereich. Erste Anwendungsgebiete der App werden Berlin-Mitte mit ausgewahlten Grosgebauden sowie der Kreis Soest sein. Das dreijahrige Projekt wird von 13 Partnern aus Wissenschaft, Wirtschaft und offentlicher Verwaltung unter Beteiligung des DBSV durchgefuhrt und durch das Bundeswirtschaftsministerium gefordert.
Die Politik unterstutzt derzeit mehrere Projekte zur nachhaltigen Mobilitat, die explizit die Bedurfnisse behinderter Menschen berucksichtigen. Dazu gehort auch das Projekt ?InMoBS“ (Innerstadtische Mobilitatsunterstutzung fur Blinde und Sehbehinderte), das Anfang des Jahres eine grose Umfrage startete. Die Projektpartner stehen im Sinne einer konkreten Umsetzung der Ergebnisse im gegenseitigen Austausch.
Was kann man von den Navigationssystemen der Zukunft erwarten? Wann ist mit der ?Super-App“ zu rechnen? Die aktuelle ?Gegenwart“ widmet ihren Schwerpunkt dem Thema Navigation. Haben Sie Interesse an dem Verbandsmagazin des DBSV? Dann fordern Sie ein Probeexemplar an: DBSV-Zeitschriftenverlag, Petra Wolff, Tel.: 0 30 / 28 53 87-220, E-Mail: p.wolff(at)dbsv.org. Die Verbandszeitschrift des DBSV erscheint monatlich in drei Formaten: Schwarzschrift, Punktschrift und DAISY (auf der CD ?DBSV-Inform“, gemeinsam mit den Publikationen der DBSV-Landesvereine).
Mehr Infos zu den aktuellen Navigationsprojekten finden Sie im Internet unter www.m4guide.de und www.inmobs.de
◇Hachette社が米国議会図書館のTalking Booksプログラムに録音図書を無償提供
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23612
(2013年5月31日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年5月29日に、出版大手のHachette Book Groupが、米国議会図書館(LC)の視覚障害者及び身体障害者のための全国図書館サービス(National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped:NLS)に、録音図書を無償提供する計画を発表したようです。2013年末からNLSのTalking Booksプログラムで利用可能となるようです。
◎Hachette To Donate Audiobooks to National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped(The Digital Shift、2013/5/30付け) http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/05/publishing/hachette-to-donate-audiobooks-to-national-library-service-for-the-blind-and-physically-handicapped/
◎Hachette Book Group http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/
◎NLS http://www.loc.gov/nls/
◎Talking Books https://www.nlstalkingbooks.org/talkingbooksform/
◇The Digital Revolution in Higher Education: Attitudes on E-Textbooks and More | Digital Book World
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/webcast-the-digital-revolution-in-higher-education-attitudes-on-e-textbooks-and-more/
(May 31, 2013 By Erin Morrarty)
Join Carl Kulo of Bowker and Digital Book World Tuesday, June 11 at 12:00 PM ET / 9:00 AM PT / 5:00 PM GMT for a live webcast where you’ll get a look at the latest data on the changing college textbook marketplace.
The Digital Revolution in Higher Education: Attitudes on E-Textbooks and More
Today’s college textbook market seems to be stuck between several countervailing trends. There’s a stubborn adherence to the status quo, with students and professors still largely using print textbooks as the core teaching and learning resource. At the same time, there are enormous changes and opportunities underway, as content becomes more digitized and customized. Plus, students have so many ways to get this content (some legal, some not), that weren’t available a decade ago.
This webcast will cover what both students and professors have to say about how they use and want course materials and how these preferences have been trending over time. The session will draw on data from Bowker’s PubTrack Higher Ed Sales Data Analysis Tool, which tracks point-of-sale textbook and supplement data to college students nationwide. To understand student and professor behavior on acquisition and their use of teaching and learning resources in colleges and universities, we will also draw upon trended studies that Bowker has partnered on with the Book Industry Study Group (BISG).
Attendees Will Learn
- The impact of publishers’ learning management systems (e.g., WileyPlus and MyMathLab)
- Trends in student content acquisition (used books, rentals, sharing, piracy, etc.)
- Why students opt to purchase course content
- Why they don’t always sell it back
- What persuades students to adopt e-textbooks
- Strategies for marketing and promoting digital resources to students and instructors
Participant
- Carl Kulo, U.S. Market Research Director at Bowker
Moderator
- TBA
Who Should Attend
- Educational publishers
- E-textbook marketing managers and PR professionals
- Editors in higher education publishing
- Sales professionals in education publishing
- E-textbook developers
This webcast is a service of Digital Book World. A recording of the webcast will be available to Digital Book World members.
◇本日開催! 「文化とデジタル技術」をテーマとした24時間シンポジウム“Around the World Symposium on Technology and Culture”
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23607
(2013年5月30日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
本日、2013年5月30日に、「文化とデジタル技術」をテーマとしたイベントを米国やカナダ等の各国で開催し、それを一つにつなげて24時間の巨大なシンポジウムにするAround the World Symposium on Technology and Cultureが開催されます。この企画のホスト役はアルバータ大学の Kule Institute for Advanced Studiesで、イベントはオンラインでも配信されます。
シンポジウムは、米国の山岳部時間(MDT)6時から、バージニア大学Scholars' Labの報告から始まり、その後アイルランドやカナダ、ブラジル等でイベントが開催されます。日本からは東京大学が参加するようです。
◎Around the World Symposium on Technology and Culture http://aroundtheworld.ualberta.ca/
◎Kule Institute for Advanced Studies http://www.kias.ualberta.ca/
◇JOINT STATEMENT BY NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND PRESIDENT MARC MAURER AND MPAA CHAIRMAN SENATOR CHRIS DODD ON IMPORTANCE OF COMPLETING WIPO VISUALLY IMPAIRED TREATY | NFB
https://nfb.org/joint-statement-national-federation-blind-president-marc-maurer-and-mpaa-chairman-senator-chris-dodd
(Thursday, May 30, 2013 National Federation of Blind)
Maurer, Dodd call for negotiators to get back to basics to ensure meaningful WIPO VIPT
WASHINGTON ?National Federation of the Blind President Marc Maurer and MPAA Chairman and CEO Senator Chris Dodd today released the following joint statement calling on WIPO VIPT negotiators to get back to basics to finish a meaningful treaty that expands access to published works for the visually impaired.
“NFB and MPAA call for the WIPO VIPT negotiators to get back to basics.
We fully support a Treaty that facilitates access to published works in the form of text, notation and/or related illustrations for the blind and print disabled to address the book famine wherein the blind and print disabled have access to less than five percent of published works worldwide.
The Treaty must achieve two overarching goals: creating exceptions and limitations in copyright law which allow published works to be converted into formats accessible to the blind and print disabled, and permitting accessible copies of published works to be shared across international borders.
Ultimately, we believe it should be for signatories to determine how they will implement the Treaty in accordance with their legal and administrative traditions. We underscore that this important Treaty must not be a vehicle for extraneous agendas. The goal remains, as it has been since the outset, a meaningful treaty to create greater access to published works for the visually impaired.
Such a treaty should embody the following core principles:
1. Support a legally-binding access Treaty which will allow more published works to be converted into accessible formats used by the blind and print disabled.
2. Allow those accessible copies to be shared across international borders.
3. Take account of countries' level of development, in line with existing international provisions.
4. Ensure that the treaty will be fully consistent with international copyright norms.
5. Avoid addressing extraneous copyright issues not directly related to creating greater access to published works for the blind and print disabled.
Following these core elements will provide the proponents of this treaty with the goal they seek - greater access for the blind and print disabled - while at the same time not diverting time and resources to other agendas that serve no purpose in reaching the underlying goal. The NFB and MPAA share the objective of achieving a Treaty that facilitates access to published works by the blind and print disabled and believe this framework provides the best option for attaining a meaningful treaty in Marrakech. We are confident that negotiators can achieve this critical objective and also ensure that the instrument is fully consistent with the existing international copyright framework. Now is the time to refocus on this singular objective and cull the document of extraneous issues. We call on negotiators to work together, guided by the above principles, to ensure that Marrakech is a success.”
◇Die Amazon-Mitarbeiter in Bad Hersfeld streiken erneut
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/online/online_nachricht/datum/2013/05/29/amazon-ist-keine-heile-welt.htm
(29. Mai 2013 (08:59 Uhr) buchreport)
Wie sich die Amazon-Mitarbeiter wehren
Bei Amazon steht der nachste Streik bevor: Am Mittwoch wollen die Mitarbeiter in Bad Hersfeld die Arbeit niederlegen. Die Streikenden wollen mit Politikern ins Gesprach kommen, die von der Geschaftsleitung eingeladen wurden.
Die Gewerkschaft Verdi hat die Beschaftigten des groseren von zwei Logistikzentren in Bad Hersfeld aufgerufen, am Mittwoch (29. Mai) zwischen 14.30 und 16.30 die Arbeit ruhen zu lassen. An dem Tag seien Bundes-, Landes- und Kommunalpolitiker von Amazon eingeladen worden, sich das Versandlager vor Ort anzuschauen.
◎Wir wollen zeigen, dass bei Amazon keine heile Welt herrscht, sondern dass es Unzufriedenheit mit den Arbeitsbedingungen und der Bezahlung gibt“, erklart Gewerkschaftssekretarin Mechthild Middeke.
Verdi rechnet damit, dass sich etwa 300 Angestellte an der Aktion beteiligen. An den vergangenen Streiks in Bad Hersfeld und Leipzig hatten der Gewerkschaft zufolge insgesamt 1700 Beschaftigte teilgenommen. Laut Amazon waren es knapp 750. Seitdem habe es keine Annaherung gegeben, so Verdi.
Weitere Artikel zum Thema:
Heiner Reimann kommentiert die Tarifverhandlungen mit Amazon
Amazon will gegenuber streikenden Mitarbeitern nicht nachgeben
Logistiker klagen uber rigorose Praktiken bei Amazon
Deutsche Amazon-Mitarbeiter streiken heute erstmals
◇米国ニューヨーク市内でBook Expo America 2013カンファレンスが今夜スタート、話題の中心は「個人出版」
http://hon.jp/news/1.0/0/4421/
(2013-05-29 07:39:20 hon.jp DayWatch)
米国最大の出版業界カンファレンスである「Book Expo America」が、現地時間5月29日にニューヨーク市内でスタートする。すでに現地では関係各社から多くのプレスリリースが事前発表されているが、目立つのは個人出版関連の新サービスや企業提携。
電子書籍標準化団体の1つであるInternational Digital Publishing Forum(本部:米国ワシントン州)も、電子書籍コンファレンス「Digital Book 2013」を同会場で並行開催する予定で、KoboやGoogleなどの業界関係者に加えて、Authors Guildや米司法省、W3Cなどからもスピーカーが出席予定となっている。【hon.jp】
◎Book Expo America 2013公式ページ( http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/ )
◇国際出版連合(IPA)がオープン教育リソースについてポジションペーパーを公表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23592
(2013年5月29日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
国際出版連合(IPA)が、2013年5月28日付けでプレスリリースを出し、オープン教育リソース(Open Education Resources: OER)についてIPAの立場を表明する文書“IPA Position Paper: Publishers and Open Educational Resources can work together”を公表しています。OERについてその価値を認めたうえで、持続可能性、品質、効果について課題があることを指摘しています。また、教育資料の提供において考慮すべき問いを複数列挙しています。
◎Free Content Comes at a High Price: IPA Raises Questions about Open Educational Resources(2013/5/28付け) http://www.internationalpublishers.org/images/stories/EducationalPublishing/IPA%20OER%20position%20statement%20Press%20Release.pdf
◎IPA Position Paper: Publishers and Open Educational Resources can work together http://www.internationalpublishers.org/images/stories/EducationalPublishing/IPA%20position%20on%20OERs%20100513.pdf
◎International Publishers Association http://www.internationalpublishers.org/
◇LRS、Colorado Talking Book Libraryの満足度調査(2012年版)を公表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23584
(2013年5月28日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米国コロラド州立図書館の調査部門ライブラリー・リサーチ・サービス(Library Research Service: LRS)が、コロラド州にあるColorado Talking Book Library(CTBL)の2012年の満足度調査の結果を公表していました。CTBLは、視覚障害や学習障害等により印刷資料を読むことができない人へのサービスを行っている図書館で利用者は約6,000人とのことです。調査では549人から回答を得、回答者の99%が同館のサービスについて「すばらしい」「よい」と評価したとのことです。
なお、質問紙調査では点字やオーディオ形式も併用しているとのことです。
◎Pleased Patrons: CTBL Maintains Excellent Service Record(LRS2013/5/21付け) http://www.lrs.org/news/2013/05/21/pleased-patrons-ctbl-maintains-excellent-service-record/
◎本文(pdf, 24ページ) http://www.lrs.org/documents/closer_look/CTBL_2012_Closer_Look.pdf
◎FactSheet http://www.lrs.org/documents/fastfacts/318_CTBL_Evaluation_2012.pdf
◎Colorado Talking Book Library http://www.cde.state.co.us/ctbl/index.htm
◇Special Education Teacher, Andrew Chalfin, and 34 Educators Champion a Mission?Access for All!
http://bookshareblog.wpengine.com/2013/05/access-for-all/
(2013 MAY 28 Bookshare Blog)
Andrew Chalfin in his class holding a device filled with titles from Bookshare.
This Teacher Appreciation Month, we salute Andrew Chalfin, a special education teacher in East Rampo Central School District, NY.
Mr. Chalfin wrote to us about the amazing educators in his district who now embrace Bookshare. They heard about the benefits the library can provide for students with print disabilities and wanted to be a part of the mission. With Mr. Chalfin’s support and hands-on professional development and training, 34 special education teachers in his district now effectively use the library to find the curricula and tools for students who qualify.
“Not only is the Bookshare resource a time-saver (no more scanning multiple books), it’s also a cost-saver for schools,” he says. Membership to the library is free, thanks to awards made by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
“A few years back, I stumbled on Bookshare and was the sole teacher using it in my district. My students in third to eighth grade loved reading eBooks and quickly learned to operate the Bookshare Edition of Read:Outloud (a reading software application that is free to qualified Bookshare members). I immediately saw an improvement in comprehension skills. My students’ attitude toward reading took a 180 degree turn. This experience led me to explore reading eBooks on portable devices and to share my knowledge with colleagues.”
Today, Mr. Chalfin holds routine staff development workshops. He creates training videos on YouTube and is always eager to answer questions from teachers, students, and parents. His district encourages parents with children who qualify for Bookshare to sign up for individual memberships, which enable them to read eBooks for pleasure.
Photo of the hands of a teacher and student as they read highlighted sentences in an accessible book on a portable device.
“Accessible books and reading technologies have changed the way I teach too,” says Mr. Chalfin. This semester, all fifth graders were given a reading assignment on “The Life Cycle of an Emperor Penguin” (Kalman-Johnston). They were asked to identify unfamiliar words in context?like the word hibernate. Every fifth grader was able to access and read the book?in print and/or digitally. They used words in sentences, took notes, and bookmarked facts. “This multimodal lesson was a success! Every student participated, enjoyed the assignment, and reached their objective.”
What’s next for Mr. Chalfin? He’s busy working with his colleagues now to prepare students for summer reading and to gather and organize books for back-to-school learning.
◇公的機関Web担当者のためのアクセシビリティセミナー 〜JIS X 8341-3:2010対応のすすめかた〜
http://www.waic.jp/news/20130528.html
(2013年5月28日 ウェブアクセシビリティ基盤委員会(WAIC))
情報通信アクセス協議会 ウェブアクセシビリティ基盤委員会(WAIC)では、国や地方公共団体等の公的機関のWeb担当者を対象とした無料セミナーを東京、名古屋、大阪の3会場で開催します。
総務省の「みんなの公共サイト運用モデル(2010年改定版)」により、国や地方公共団体等のWebサイトにはJIS X 8341-3:2010対応の目安となるスケジュールが示されています。そして、今年度から来年度にかけては、目標とする等級への準拠に向けた取り組みが求められています。
現状では、JIS X 8341-3:2010対応に既に取り組んでいる、これから着手しようとしている、あるいは、まだ具体的な計画を立てていないなど、団体によってその取り組み状況は様々です。このセミナーでは、JIS X 8341-3:2010対応の概要からそのすすめかたについて、官公庁、自治体、独立行政法人等のWeb担当者の皆さまに知っておいていただきたいことを分かりやすく解説します。
◎東京
日時 2013年7月23日(火曜日)14:00〜17:00(受付開始 13:30〜)
会場 情報通信ネットワーク産業協会(CIAJ) 3階 B/C/D/E会議室(東京都港区浜松町2-2-12)
◎名古屋
日時 2013年7月26日(金曜日)14:00〜17:00(受付開始 13:30〜)
会場 株式会社大塚商会 中部支店(愛知県名古屋市中区丸の内3-23-20 桜通MIDビル)
◎大阪
日時 2013年8月1日(木曜日)14:00〜17:00(受付開始 13:30〜)
会場 株式会社大塚商会 ITソリューションセンター 7F セミナールーム(大阪府大阪市北区大淀南1-10-6)
◎プログラム
セッション1 講演「公的機関Webサイトに求められるJIS X 8341-3:2010対応」
セッション2 講演「JIS X 8341-3:2010準拠のための試験方法」
◎ウェブアクセシビリティ基盤委員会 セミナー事務局 waic-seminarあっとciaj.or.jp CIAJマルチメディアソリューション部 TEL 03-5403-9354
◇The American Library Association Wants to Change eBook Copyright Law
http://goodereader.com/blog/digital-library-news/the-american-library-association-wants-to-change-ebook-copyright-law
(MAY 24, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski, Good E-Reader)
The American Library Association is getting behind a new treaty that would make books and ebooks more accessible to the blind and people suffering from reading difficulties. ALA wants to get permission to start converting publisher’s books from the normal format to braille and super large fonts. The organization also doesn’t want barriers based on geographical location, the removal of which would allow libraries in Europe and Canada share commonly converted books.
ALA is running a petition on the main Whitehouse website to lobby for stronger stance at the summit. “Less than 1% of printed works globally are accessible to the blind. This is because laws around the world bar printed material from being turned into formats useable by the blind and visually impaired, or for such material to be shared across borders.”
The petition goes on to say, “That’s why 186 countries will soon convene in Morocco to finalize a treaty that would empower the world’s nearly 300 million blind citizens with the same rights to read, learn, and earn that the sighted enjoy. However, huge and powerful corporations ? many wholly unaffected by the proposed Treaty ? are working to fatally weaken it or block its adoption.”
Sounds like a great idea, who would be opposed to making ebooks available for the blind? General Electric, Exxon, and the motion picture and publishing industries are opposing the treaty.
Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the ALA Washington Office told me exclusively, “Librarians have always been committed to getting information into people’s hands in whatever format works for them, and that includes audio and Braille books. In the new modern publishing world, e-readers that are able to translate print to voice provide people with visual disabilities access to a wide range of books. We strongly support the international Treaty for the Blind because we believe that no one should be excluded from information because of where they live.”
◇文化・芸術は英国経済にどの程度貢献しているのか?(資料紹介)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23573
(2013年5月24日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年5月7日、イングランド芸術評議会は、英国および同国内の地域経済に文化・芸術がどの程度貢献しているのかを調査したレポート“The contribution of the arts and culture to the national economy”を公開しました。調査はACEが委託したCentre for Economics and Business Researchにより行われました。
主な結果として以下が挙げられています。
・文化・芸術は英国のGDPの0.4%を占める。文化・芸術分野に対する投資は、財政支出の0.1%にも満たないことから、十分な利益を得ている。
・文化・芸術は、2011年には124億ポンドの粗利益と59億ポンドのGVA(粗付加価値)を生む大きな分野である。
・英国を訪れる観光客が毎年文化・芸術に対して直接“おとす”お金は、少なくとも8億5,600万ポンドになる。
・英国経済が全体として世界経済危機以前の生産レベル以下に留まっているにもかかわらず、文化・芸術分野の英国経済に対する貢献は2008年以降高まりつつある。
◎Economic contribution of arts and culture report published (ACE 2013/5/7付けの記事) http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/news/arts-council-news/economic-contribution-arts-and-culture-report-publ/
◇Studie pladiert fur Interoperabilitat von E-Books
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/online/online_nachricht/datum/2013/05/24/digitale-buecher-barrierefrei-kaufen.htm
(24. Mai 2013 (10:36 Uhr) buchreport)
Studie pladiert fur Interoperabilitat von E-Books
Digitale Bucher barrierefrei kaufen
Zur Jahreskonferenz der Europaischen und Internationalen Buchhandlervereinigung (EIBF) ist in Brussel eine Studie zur Interoperabilitat von E-Books vorgestellt worden. In ?On the Interoperability of eBook Formats“ stellen die Mainzer Professoren Christoph Blasi und Franz Rothlauf fest:
Die Tatsache, dass der Kauf eines E-Books bei einem internationalen E-Book-Handler den Kunden praktisch an diesen Handler als seinen einzigen zukunftigen E-Book-Lieferanten binde, sei eine Bedrohung fur die europaische Buchhandelsstruktur und damit fur die europaische Buchkultur.
Die grosen Player im E-Book-Markt, insbesondere Amazon und Apple, hatten in den vergangenen Jahren geschlossene E-Book-Systeme aufgebaut, zum einen durch inkompatible E-Book-Formate, zum anderen durch unterschiedliche DRM-Masnahmen.
Vor dem Hintergrund der umfassenden Moglichkeiten des Epub-3-Standards und dessen Verwandtschaft mit den von Amazon und Apple verwendeten eigenen Formaten gebe es jedoch keinen technischen oder funktionalen Grund, weiterhin proprietare E-Book-Formate zu verwenden, wenn auch kurzfristig noch kein Gerat alle Epub-3-Merkmale darstellen konne.
Die allgemeine Verwendung von Epub 3 als E-Book-Format wurde an sich noch nicht zu einer vollstandigen E-Book-Interoperabilitat fur die Kunden fuhren: Dem wurden die DRM-Masnahmen von Amazon und Apple im Weg stehen. Doch einfache Veranderungen an den Shops und an den E-Readern sowie DRM-Vereinbarungen zwischen den Playern konnten die DRM-Hurden aus dem Weg raumen ? wenn Amazon und Apple das denn wollten.
Mit der Studie stellen Blasi und Rothlauf die Belange der kleinen stationaren Buchhandler zentral, die wenig Chancen haben, am E-Book-Boom zu partizipieren. Die Relevanz des barrierefreien E-Book-Handels sehen sie auf einer Linie mit der ?Digitalen Agenda fur Europa“ (2010), zu deren Zielen die Erhohung der Interoperabilitat von Geraten, Anwendungen, Datensammlungen, Diensten und Netzen zahlt.
Die fur die digitale Agenda verantwortliche EU-Kommissarin, Neelie Kroes, hat denn auch ein buchhandlerfreundliches Geleitwort zur Studie beigesteuert, in dem sie sagt: ?Es ist an der Zeit, dass es offene E-Book-Standards gibt.“
◇HathiTrust、プリント・ディスアビリティの利用者に著作権保護資料の提供を行う新サービスを開始
(2013年5月21日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23541
2013年5月10日、米国の大学図書館等による電子図書館プロジェクトHathiTrustが、2013年4月付けのニュースレターを刊行しました。それによると、HathiTrustは、プリント・ディスアビリティの利用者を対象にした新サービスを開始したとのことです。
この新サービスは、HathiTrust協力機関の特定のプロキシに対して、その機関が所蔵する/所蔵していた、HathiTrustに登載されている著作権保護資料へのアクセスを、その機関所属のプリント・ディスアビリティと認定されている利用者に対して許可するというものとのことです。
◎Accessibility (HathiTrust) http://www.hathitrust.org/accessibility
◎Update on April 2013 Activities (HathiTrust 2013/5/10付けの記事) http://www.hathitrust.org/updates_april2013
◇Survey reveals researcher reliance on OA
http://www.researchinformation.info/news/news_story.php?news_id=1255&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ResearchInformation-News+%28Research+Information+-+News%29
(18 May 2013 Research Information)
A new survey of UK academics, carried out by Ithaka S+R, Jisc and RLUK, has revealed an increasing reliance on the internet and open resources for their research and publishing activities. For example, 40 per cent of researchers surveyed said that when beginning a project they start by searching the internet for relevant materials, with only 2 per cent starting with a visit to the physical library.
The study also found access limitations to be a concern. While 86 per cent of respondents rely on their college or university library collections and subscriptions, 49 per cent said that they would often like to use journal articles that are not in those collections.
Use of open resources was a related theme. The study found that, if researchers can’t find the resources or information they need through their university library, 90 per cent of respondents often or occasionally look online for a freely available version.
The survey received 3,498 responses (a response rate of 7.9 per cent) and covered a range of areas, including how academics discover and stay abreast of research, their teaching of undergraduates, how they choose research topics and publication channels, and their views on learned societies and university libraries, and their collections.
◇Frank Simon-Ritz zum Streit uber den E-Book-Verleih
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/verlage/verlage_nachricht/datum/2013/05/17/wollen-kein-buchmuseum-sein.htm
(17. Mai 2013 (11:06 Uhr) buchreport)
Frank Simon-Ritz zum Streit uber den E-Book-Verleih
◎Wollen kein Buchmuseum sein“
Seit Monaten liegen Verlage und Bibliotheken im Clinch wegen der Ausleihe von E-Books (mehr dazu im Dossier zur Onleihe). Frank Simon-Ritz (Foto: Uni Weimar), der neue Vorsitzende des Deutschen Bibliotheksverbands, zeigt sich dennoch zuversichtlich, mit Hilfe des Borsenvereins eine Losung zu finden.
Ritz ist seit 1999 Direktor der Universitatsbibliothek der Bauhaus-Universitat Weimar. Von 2003 bis 2009 war er Vorsitzender des Thuringer Landesverbandes, 2010 wurde er mit 47 Jahren jungstes Vorstandsmitglied des Deutschen Bibliotheksverbandes. Im Marz 2013 wurde Ritz zum neuen Vorsitzenden des Deutschen Bibliotheksverbands gewahlt (hier mehr).
Die E-Book-Ausleihe stellt die Beziehung zwischen Bibliotheken und Verlagen auf die Probe. Suchen Sie das Gesprach mit den Verlagen?
Dieses Thema wird in der Tat immer drangender und hat im Vorstand deshalb Prioritat. Vielleicht war es naiv von uns, das E-Book mit dem gedruckten Buch gleichzusetzen und es nur als ein anderes Format anzusehen. Das ist rechtlich nicht so. Anders als ge-druckte Bucher konnen E-Books im Augenblick nicht ohne Weiteres von den Bibliotheken lizenziert und entsprechend verliehen werden. Wir werden uns weiterhin mit aller Kraft dafur einsetzen, dass E-Books zu fairen Lizenzbedingungen genauso wie das gedruckte Buch in Bibliotheken verfugbar sein mussen.
◎Wie geht es weiter?
Wir befinden uns in einer schwierigen Situation. Aber es ist ganz klar, dass E-Books Teil des Ausleihpakets sein mussen, sollen offentliche Bibliotheken nicht irgendwann auf den Status eines Buchmuseums reduziert werden. Die Verlage, mit denen es bislang eine Verstandigung zur Teilnahme an der Onleihe gegeben hat, scheinen ganz zufrieden mit der Regelung, sonst wurden sie das nicht machen. Wir werden weiterhin den Dialog suchen und ich bin sicher, dass Borsenverein und DBV eine gemeinsame Lesart finden werden. Schlieslich liegen keine wirklich unuberbruckbaren Welten zwischen uns.
◎Haben Sie Verstandnis fur die Bedenken der Verlage?
Ich habe wenig Verstandnis fur eine restriktive Position, die die Lizenzierung von E-Books fur offentliche Bibliotheken einschranken will. Dass es bestimmte Rahmenbedingungen geben muss, um dem von den Verlagen befurchteten Kannibalisierungseffekt vorzubeugen, ist unstrittig. Dafur werden sich nach meiner Einschatzung lizenzrechtliche Losungen finden lassen.
◎Ist damit der Ruf nach dem Gesetzgeber in dieser Sache vorerst zu den Akten gelegt?
Wenn die Vertreter der Verlage zustimmen, dass jede offentliche Bibliothek jedes in Deutschland erschienene E-Book lizenzieren konnen muss, dann wird es vermutlich keine prazisierende rechtliche Regelung brauchen. Dieser Grundsatz muss aber von allen Beteiligten akzeptiert werden.
◎Sie haben die Digitalisierung zur Chefsache erklart. Was treibt Sie besonders um?
Das groste Projekt aus meiner Sicht ist die Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, deren Betaversion Ende November in Berlin gestartet wurde. Ich verfolge seit vielen Jahren, was sich international in diesem Bereich tut und Deutschland muss sich damit absolut nicht verstecken. Es ist ein beeindruckendes Portal, das auf einem guten Weg ist. Naturlich ist es keine Bibliothek im klassischen Sinne, sondern ein digitales Archiv fur Literatur ebenso wie fur Kunst und Kultur. Es ist deshalb auch aus kulturwissenschaftlicher Sicht ein ungeheuer faszinierendes Projekt. Die Angebots-erweiterung ist gerade jetzt auf einem guten Weg. Doch naturlich bleibt das Manko, dass mit der Digitalisierung wegen des Urheberrechtsgesetzes um 1900 Schluss ist. Aber es besteht Hoffnung: Es gibt einen Kabinettsbeschluss vom 10. April, der vorsieht, dass es kunftig unter von allen Seiten akzeptierten Bedingungen moglich sein wird, verwaiste und vergriffene Werke zu digitalisieren und zuganglich zu machen. Die Verabschiedung eines solchen Gesetzes noch in dieser Legislaturperiode ware ein wichtiger Schritt in die richtige Richtung.
Das gesamte Interview ist im buchreport.magazin Mai/2013 zu lesen (hier zu bestellen).
◇Amazon erntet Kritik fur Steuer-Praxis in Grosbritannien und USA
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/online/online_nachricht/datum/2013/05/16/3-mio-steuern-4-mrd-umsatz.htm
(16. Mai 2013 (09:49 Uhr) buchreport)
In Deutschland droht Amazon aktuell ein wochenlanger Streik von Beschaftigten in Bad Hersfeld und Leipzig (hier mehr). In Grosbritannien sorgt die Steuer-Praxis des Onliners einmal mehr fur Schlagzeilen.
Nach einem Bericht des ?Guardian“ hat Amazon UK im vergangenen Jahr gerade einmal 3,2 Mio Pfund an Steuern gezahlt, und das bei einem Umsatz von 4,2 Mrd Pfund auf der Insel. Das Steueraufkommen liege nur geringfugig hoher als die staatlichen Zuschusse, die Amazon kassiert habe (2,5 Mio Pfund).
Statt der 4,2 Mrd Pfund habe Amazon jedoch nur einen Umsatz von 320 Mio Pfund fur 2012 gemeldet. Hintergrund: Das Europa-Geschaft von Amazon wird grostenteils uber Luxemburg gesteuert. Die Amazon-Bilanzmeldungen sind allerdings nicht konsistent. In einem Bericht an die US-Borsenaufsicht SEC aus dem Februar 2013 hatte Amazon den Umsatz in Grosbritannien mit eben jenen 4,2 Mrd Pfund (rund 4,7 Mrd Euro) angegeben (buchreport.de berichtete).
Laut Guardian beschaftigte Amazon UK Ende 2012 fast 4200 Mitarbeiter sowie mehrere Tausend Leiharbeiter.
Das Blatt zitiert einen Labour-Abgeordneten mit der Forderung, dass die britische Steuerbehorde mit einem ?feinzahnigen Kamm“ durch die Steuer-Praxis von Amazon gehen solle.
USA: Senat verabschiedet ?Amazon Tax“
Auch in den USA ruckt Amazon durch sein aggressives Geschaftsgebaren und die eigene Steuerpolitik in die Kritik, auch wenn der Beschwerde-Chor ? im Vergleich zu Deutschland ? (noch) piano singt. Gefahr droht Jeff Bezos vor allem aus der Politik: In der vergangenen Woche hatte der Senat mit groser Mehrheit einen Gesetzesentwurf verabschiedet, der Online-Handler zwingen soll, eine Sales Tax (Umsatzsteuer) auf getatigte Verkaufe zu erheben.
Der ?Marketplace Fairness Act“ muss noch das Reprasentantenhaus passieren, die Lobbyarbeit hat bereits begonnen. Auch die American Booksellers Association macht mobil: CEO Oren Teicher hat alle Mitglieder aufgefordert, in ihren Wahlkreisen aktiv fur die (im Volksmund so genannte) ?Amazon Tax“ Stimmung zu machen.
Widerstand aus dem Weisen Haus ist nicht zu erwarten: Prasident Barack Obama hat kurzlich seine Zustimmung signalisiert. Zwar gibt es inzwischen US-Bundesstaaten mit eigener gesetzlicher Regelung und in vielen anderen Staaten wird daran gearbeitet, doch eine gesetzliche Vorlage aus Washington wurde Amazon keinen Spielraum mehr lassen.
◇電子図書館におけるクラウドソーシングによるテキスト化の現在<資料紹介>
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23501
(2013年5月15日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年5月13日、フランス国立図書館(BnF)が、“Etat de l’art en matiere de crowdsourcing dans les bibliotheques numeriques”というレポートを公開しました。レポートでは、各国の様々なプロジェクトでのクラウドソーシングによるテキスト化事例を調査し、最後にクラウドソーシングを成功させるために何が必要かを検討しているようです。
◎ETAT DE L’ART EN MATIERE DE CROWDSOURCING DANS LES BIBLIOTHEQUES NUMERIQUES (PDF ) http://www.bnf.fr/documents/crowdsourcing_rapport.pdf
◎Etat de l’art en matiere de crowdsourcing dans les bibliotheques numeriques (BnF 2013/5/13付けの記事) http://www.bnf.fr/fr/professionnels/pro_actualites.html
◇We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident: Part Two
https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/we-hold-these-truths-be-self-evident-part-two
(05/15/2013 - 11:07 by Mark Riccobono National Federation of Blind)
On April 11, 2013, I wrote a blog post entitled, “We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident?Do You?” That post was the result of talking to many people about the shift in thinking that needs to occur with respect to technology and accessibility. My post was also motivated by a letter that my colleague, Daniel F. Goldstein, who has represented the National Federation of the Blind in many cases for over a quarter of a century, wrote to the Office for Civil Rights regarding an April 4 article that covered our concern over the use of inaccessible Amazon Kindle products in schools and similarly inaccessible educational technologies.
On May 1, 2013, Amazon released a new version of its Kindle app for iOS and the NFB promptly commented with a press release. This was soon followed by a blog post from our access technology team entitled, "Grading Kindle Accessibility on iOS.”
In the midst of the buzz about Amazon finally moving toward accessibility, Mr. Goldstein received a response to his letter on May 6, 2013. I was very pleased to read the response from Seth M. Galanter, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, in which Mr. Galanter clearly reiterates that “equal access for students with disabilities is the law.” To paraphrase, Mr. Galanter emphasizes that students with disabilities must receive the educational benefits provided by the inaccessible technology in an equally effective and equally integrated manner, and that this requires students with disabilities to be afforded, in a timely manner, the opportunity to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services, with substantially equivalent ease of use, as other students. You can read Mr. Goldstein's letter and Mr. Galanter’s full response in the Recent Updates section of the Make Kindle E-books Accessible page on the NFB Web site.
As I noted in my previous blog post, the only logical way to meet the standard is for the same technology to be accessible and usable by all students?eliminating the notion of separate and unequal access. I am surprised by those who have a hard time understanding why the subject of technology accessibility is so critical to our struggle for equal access to education. I am pleased that Mr. Galanter and the Office of Civil Rights appear to hold these truths to be self-evident, and I am hopeful that the schools and technology developers who are in a position to implement accessibility continue to uphold their responsibility to equal access for students with disabilities in their programs and services. Equality will come when accessibility is included from the beginning, and not as a bolted-on, second-class afterthought. We continue to need champions for equal access to stand with us to demonstrate the truth about accessibility and to ensure equality in education.
◇Technology Meets Society: Technology for All: From Gandhi to TED - Part 2
http://benetech.blogspot.jp/2013/05/technology-for-all-from-gandhi-to-ted_14.html
(Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Beneblog)
Technology has the potential to improve the lives of millions across the world. Unfortunately, most companies won’t pursue projects without the promise of big profits and the people who need tech tools the most often can’t afford them. In this two-part series I explore the concept of “Technology for All” and Benetech’s commitment to both ensuring that the technology required to meet a social need is developed and that it reaches far beyond the richest 10 percent of people who can most afford it.
It all started with the TED’s opening session, “Progress Enigma.” The session posed the questions: “What is the future of work?” and “Is the innovation growth accelerating?”
In his TED talk, Northwestern University economist Robert Gordon replied to these questions with the argument that innovation isn’t likely to get us out of the global economic stagnation and that economic growth itself ? contrary to the assumption that has become nearly universal since the 1950s ? might not be a continuous process that will persist forever.
MIT economist Erik Brynjolfsson then countered this view with a talk that advanced the exact opposite argument: Income may be falling, but creative productivity and innovation are as strong as ever. The benefits of technology take longer to root than we expect and we have a bias against the future: we simply can’t foresee the things we haven’t invented yet.
TED curator Chris Anderson then engaged the two economists in a debate. Gordon asked Brynjolfsson about the value of some of the innovations he mentioned in his talk, from highly intelligent machines like IBM’s Watson to free streamed music. These technologies, Gordon pointed out, make money for their inventors and owners but put multitudes of people out of employment. At this point, I couldn’t help but think about my conversation with Sen. Wofford?I could hear Gandhi’s voice!
Gordon also asked Brynjolfsson: What good is a world where we have machine intelligence and free music but no gainful employment and a broken education system? Brynjolfsson countered with some poignant answers, but he, too, acknowledged that optimism has its limits. At the end, these two very different-thinking economists seemed to converge on one point: We are witnessing a great decoupling of productivity from employment and wealth from work.
Technology is racing ahead, but leaving 99 percent of society behind.
It’s true that difficult challenges lie ahead of us. And yet, I believe that the “new machine age” that Brynjolfsson describes holds tremendous promise. I believe it can help catalyze much-needed systemic change and forever remove the most persistent barriers that prevent people from living a full life. We need that kind of change?for the good of all humanity!
Both my conversation with Sen. Wofford and the conversation I witnessed between these two economists at TED reminded me of how this is such an exciting time for social enterprises?and especially for us at Benetech. We’re operating at the nexus of multiple high-change and high-impact industries, from the mission-driven technology development sector to the social sector users who utilize that technology to “be the change they wish to see.”
Technology has redefined what’s possible for our society and each week brings news of organizations doing great things with it for the social good. In addition, now more than ever, those who have benefited greatly from technology are giving back. For example, the Giving Pledge campaign that began with efforts by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett is encouraging the world’s wealthiest individuals and families to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. It’s a powerful example of this “brave new world” we live in, where private resources are deployed to create and sustain public goods.
So, yes, I do feel optimistic. I believe there’s a growing recognition that the world has become a global village and it’s our responsibility to see to it that all “villagers” can improve their lives. Here, too, as I learned from Sen. Wofford, Gandhi’s philosophy is at the heart of the matter. Gandhi firmly believed that economic justice is key to non-violent independence. Creating a just economy, he proposed, meant abolishing the conflict between capital and labor ? exactly the source of our problem today (as both Gordon and Brynjolfsson agree). Gandhi therefore called on society’s wealthy individuals to act as trustees, that is, owners of riches not in their own right, but on behalf of the poor (on Gandhi’s theory of trusteeship see, for example, A.K. Dasgupta, Gandhi’s Economic Thought, Routledge, 1996, Chapter 6, esp. pp. 118-23).
As social entrepreneurship moves from niche to mainstream, and the social enterprise economy grows, Benetech looks forward to growing our impact. There are many social needs that continue to go unmet and we have both a passion and a solid track record of successfully meeting those needs for the benefit of all of humanity.
And, I hope more and more of the people behind our terrific technological advances heed Gandhi’s call, to see all of humanity benefits from our incredible technological innovations.
(by Jim Fruchterman, Beneblog acct at 1:07 PM
◇Deutsche Amazon-Mitarbeiter streiken heute erstmals
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/online/online_nachricht/datum/2013/05/14/kein-paket-darf-raus.htm
(14. Mai 2013 (08:11 Uhr) buchreport)
Nach wochenlangem Sabelrasseln macht Verdi heute bei Amazon ernst: Die Gewerkschaft hat die Beschaftigten der beiden Amazon-Standorte in Bad Hersfeld und Leipzig zu einem ganztagigen Streik aufgerufen.
Nach Angaben von Verdi begann der Streik mit der Fruhschicht ab 6 Uhr und endet mit dem Arbeitsende der Spatschicht in der kommenden Nacht. Nach Angaben von Verdi arbeiten in Bad Hersfeld, dem ersten Lager von Amazon in Deutschland, 3300 Beschaftigte und in Leipzig 2000. Gegenuber golem.de erklarte Verdi, es sei das Ziel, dass kein Paket die Lager verlasst. Ob das Ziel erreicht werde, sei offen, denn es sei der erste Streik bei Amazon.
Mit den Arbeitsniederlegungen will Verdi die Aufnahme von Tarifverhandlungen erzwingen und eine tarifliche Bezahlung inklusive tariflichem Urlaubs- und Weihnachtsgeld, Nachtarbeits- sowie Sonn- und Feiertagszuschlagen erreichen. Aktuell unterliegt kein Amazon-Standort in Deutschland einer Tarifbindung. Laut Verdi betragt der Einstiegslohn in Leipzig aktuell 9,30 Euro (statt 10,66 Euro pro Stunde nach Versandhandelstarif) und in Bad Hersfeld 9,83 Euro (Tarif: 12,18 Euro).
Amazon selbst betont, dass die Mitarbeiter der deutschen Logistikzentren mit ihrem Einkommen am oberen Ende dessen liegen, was in der Logistikindustrie ublich sei.
In Bad Hersfeld hatten sich 97,6% der Gewerkschaftsmitglieder bei einer Urabstimmung fur den Arbeitskampf ausgesprochen, in Leipzig votierten 97% fur einen Streik. An beiden Standorten hatte es Anfang April bereits erste Warnstreiks gegeben (buchreport.de berichtete).
◇EIFL、2012年の年次報告書を刊行
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23496
(2013年5月14日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
途上国において図書館を通じてデジタル情報へのアクセスを推進する、国際的なNPO団体であるEIFL(Electronic Information for Libraries)が、2012年の年次報告書を刊行しています。報告書にはオープンアクセスの支援、ICTの基盤整備等のEIFLのプログラムについて掲載されています。
◎EIFL 2012 annual report (EIFL) http://www.eifl.net/eifl-2012-annual-report
◎How Libraries Power Development: EIFL’s Annual Report (Beyond Access 2013/5/13付け記事) http://beyondaccess.net/blog/2013/05/13/how-libraries-power-development-eifls-annual-report/
◇オバマ大統領、政府情報のオープンデータ化に関する大統領令を発令
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23477
(2013年5月10日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年5月9日、米国オバマ大統領は政府情報のオープンデータ化を義務付ける大統領令(”Executive Order - Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information”)を発令しました。併せて、オープンデータに関する新たな方針(Open Data Policy)も発表されています。
この大統領令は、新たに米国政府機関が作成するデータは基本的にオープンかつコンピュータ等で扱いやすい形式とすることを命じるものです。政府機関には、個人のプライバシーや機密情報、国家の安全保障に関わる情報の保護に配慮しつつ、新たに作成するデータはできるだけ発見・アクセスしやすく、再利用しやすい形で公開すること等が義務付けられることになります。
◎Executive Order -- Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information(大統領令、2013/5/9付け) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/05/09/executive-order-making-open-and-machine-readable-new-default-government-
◎Open Data Policy-Managing Information as an Asset(オープンデータ方針を定めた覚書、2013/5/9付け) http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2013/m-13-13.pdf
◎Landmark Steps to Liberate Open Data(The White House Blog、2013/5/9付け) http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/05/09/landmark-steps-liberate-open-data
◎White House Continues Push to Open Access to Publicly Funded Research and Data(Open Access Now、2013/5/9付け) http://oanow.org/2013/05/white-house-continues-push-to-open-access-to-publicly-funded-research-and-data/
◇Beneblog: Technology Meets Society: Technology for All: From Gandhi to TED - Part 1
http://benetech.blogspot.jp/2013/05/technology-for-all-from-gandhi-to-ted.html
(Friday, May 10, 2013)
I often travel to Washington, D.C. to raise awareness and advocate for the work we’re doing here at Benetech. On a recent trip to Washington, I had the pleasure of meeting with retired Senator Harris Wofford (D-PA). It was an incredibly memorable meeting?one I took much away from.
Sen. Wofford is remarkable, having performed so many exemplary deeds of service for our nation. He volunteered for the Army Air Corps in World War II and was a friend and adviser to Martin Luther King, Jr. He was President of two colleges and Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Labor and Industry. He served as a U.S. Senator, helped launch the Peace Corps and led the Corporation for National and Community Service. Last February, Sen. Wofford received the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal from President Obama for his seven decades of public service.
After visiting India in 1949, Wofford became a lifelong advocate of Gandhian nonviolence. He even co-wrote a book with his late wife Clare, India Afire (1951), which urged the civil rights movement in America to adopt Gandhi’s strategy of nonviolent action (see this correspondence between Wofford and King). In fact, Wofford reminisces that “the little claim to fame in those days” that he enjoyed most was that King joked occasionally that he was “the only lawyer volunteering to help him go to jail instead of using all the tricks of the trade to keep him out” (for example, see p. 4 in the proceedings of this program on “Civil Rights, Politics and the Law” by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars).
During my conversation with him, Sen. Wofford immediately connected with Benetech’s vision of a world in which technology benefits all of humanity, remarking that Gandhi would have appreciated our work! I was surprised to hear that, because as far as I knew, Gandhi was famous for his criticism of technology (though he didn’t use the word “technology” ? he spoke about machinery and the process of mechanization). Sen. Wofford explained how Gandhi had elaborated on his criticism of machinery, relating it to his doctrine of nonviolence. His point was that technology should benefit all of society. It wasn’t technology per se that Gandhi rejected; it was the fact that technology tended to concentrate the production of wealth in the hands of a few.
Gandhi distinguished between machinery used for mass production and machinery used for production for the masses. The former under free enterprise, Gandhi observed, often made the rich richer and the poor poorer. What Gandhi favored was technology aimed at eradication of poverty and creation of employment. He said:
“What I object to is the craze for machinery, not machinery as such. The craze is for what they call labor-saving machinery. Men go on ‘saving labor’ till thousands are without work and thrown on the open streets to die of starvation. I want to save time and labor, not for a fraction of mankind, but for all. I want the concentration of wealth, not in the hands of a few, but in the hands of all. Today, machinery merely helps a few to ride on the backs of millions. The impetus behind it all is not the philanthropy to save labor, but greed. It is against this constitution of things that I am fighting with all my might” (as quoted in S. Radhakrishnan, Mahatma Gandhi: Essays and Reflections, Sangam Books, 1998: p. 348).
As a pragmatic idealist, I find this message so uplifting and relevant to the work we do at Benetech. We believe in the potential of technology to improve ? or even transform ? the lives of all people around the world. And we also believe that it shouldn’t be just the privileged few who can afford that beneficial technology. That’s why we develop tools purely focused on the social good and, more broadly, have helped catalyze a movement of social entrepreneurs.
After all, what good is a world where we have snazzy gadgets, but glaring social needs that continue to go unaddressed?
A few days after my meeting with the Senator I arrived at Long Beach for the start of the TED Conference. To my amazement, TED’s kickoff debate about the future of progress had a major connection to my conversation with Sen. Wofford, to Gandhi and to the debate around technology’s effect on our society and our economy.
◇LIBER、テキストマイニングを阻害しない著作権制度を求めるファクトシートを公開(欧州)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23473
(2013年5月9日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
欧州研究図書館協会(LIBER)が、テキストマイニングやデータマイニングを阻害しない柔軟な著作権制度の必要性を伝えるファクトシート“Text and Data Mining: Its importance and the need for change in Europe”を公開しています。ファクトシートは、テキスト・データ・マイニング(Text and Data Mining: TDM)とは何か、何故重要か、何故図書館が例外規定を望むのか、といった質問に端的に答えるものとなっています。
なお、あわせて、この問題に関するLIBERの主なアドヴォカシー活動が紹介されています。
◎Text and Data Mining: Its importance and the need for change in Europe(LIBER, 2013/4/25付け) http://www.libereurope.eu/news/tdm
◎Text and Data Mining: Its importance and the need for change in Europe(LIBER Factsheet、PDF2ページ) http://www.libereurope.eu/sites/default/files/Text%20and%20Data%20Mining%20Factsheet.pdf
◎"Licences for Europe - A Stakeholder Dialogue" text and data mining for scientific research purposes working group(2013/2/26付け) http://www.libereurope.eu/news/licences-for-europe-a-stakeholder-dialogue-text-and-data-mining-for-scientific-research-purpose
◎Text-mining spat heats up(Nature, 2013/3/20付け) http://www.nature.com/news/text-mining-spat-heats-up-1.12636
◇More Data Please! President Obama Signs Open Data Executive Order and Releases Open Data Policy |
http://www.infodocket.com/2013/05/09/more-data-please-president-obama-signs-open-data-executive-order-and-releases-open-data-policy/
(May 9, 2013 by Gary Price, LJ INFOdocket)
The Executive Order declares that information is a valuable resource and strategic asset for the Nation.
Under the terms of the Executive Order and a new Open Data Policy released today by the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Office of Management and Budget, all newly generated government data will be required to be made available in open, machine-readable formats, greatly enhancing their accessibility and usefulness, while ensuring privacy and security.
Under the President’s Open Data Executive Order, more data will be made available allowing these types of entrepreneurs and companies to take advantage of this information, fueling economic growth in communities across the Nation.
Much progress has been made. But many more government datasets are still hard to find or are locked-up in unusable formats. By requiring that government agencies provide newly generated government data in machine-readable formats like CSV, XML, and JSON and, when appropriate, expose data via Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), the new Executive Order and Policy will further accelerate the liberation of government data.
◇Amazon to Allow ePub eBooks on the Kindle e-Reader
http://goodereader.com/blog/tablet-slates/amazon-to-allow-epub-ebooks-on-the-kindle-e-reader/
(MAY 8, 2012 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
We have some rather breaking news with online giant Amazon and their highly successful line of Kindle e-readers. It seems many publishers have been told by the company that in the near-future, they should be submitting their books to Amazon in EPUB format and not exclusively MOBI. They also went on to let us know that Amazon was indeed planning something BIG and that soon the Kindle ereader will have the full capability to read ePub books. This news has been confirmed by at least 4 publishing companies we have spoken with during the last few days.
The Amazon Kindle, for the last six years and more, has exclusively sold books on its Amazon Bookstore in the Mobi format. They also devised applications for major platforms such as Android, iOS, PC, Blackberry, and Windows Phone 7 for reading their books. This insured that if you had purchased a Amazon Kindle e-reader or ebooks from their store, you were locked into the Amazon ecosystem.
Four publishers in the last week have confirmed that Amazon has indeed told them they now have an option to submit eBooks to be listed in the Amazon store in ePub format. Two of the companies we spoke with are very big in the publishing world and spoke to us regarding this new development during an interview in the last few days on a totally different subject. With many companies all telling us the same thing off the record it is confirmed that the Amazon is moving in this direction.
It would make sense that Amazon will continue to distribute books still in MOBI format since they developed the technology and so much of its online infrastructure is based around it. MOBI/AZW is known to have similarities with the ePub data structure and has most of the code embedded into its format. The ePub format is more or less the industry standard for ebook formats and almost every other online ebook store aside from Amazon sells their books in that format. With Amazon embracing ePub technology it further substantiates that ePub is by far the most popular format to read ebooks.
◇都市図書館協議会、電子書籍への平等なアクセスに関するブリーフィングペーパー作成(米国)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23462
(2013年5月8日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年5月3日、米国の都市図書館協議会(Urban Libraries Council: ULC)が、電子書籍を含む資料への平等なアクセスは守られる必要があるということについて、議会の注意喚起を促すブリーフィングペーパーを作成し、公表しています。米出版大手“ビッグ6”の立ち位置などを端的にまとめつつ、政策立案者の監視の必要性を指摘する内容となっています。
このペーパーは5月8日の米国図書館立法の日(National Library Legislative Day)でも配布されるとのことです。
◎ULC Press Release May 3rd, 2013 http://www.urbanlibraries.org/new-e-books-briefing-paper-news-52.php
◎サマリー(PDF, 2ページ)“Libraries, Publishers and Public Access to E-Books: Communities Need Access to E-Books” http://www.urbanlibraries.org/filebin/pdfs/EBooks_Summary.pdf
◎ブリーフィングペーパー“Libraries, Publishers and Public Access to E-Books”(PDF, 4ページ) http://www.urbanlibraries.org/filebin/pdfs/eBook_Briefing_Paper_4pps.pdf
◇Smashwords Releases Data from eBook Sales Study
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/smashwords-releases-data-from-ebook-sales-study
(MAY 08, 2012 By Mercy Pilkington Good E-Reader)
The ebook distribution site Smashwords, spearheaded by founder Mark Coker, is often at the forefront of what is shaping digital publishing. Whether it’s making a free platform available to self-published authors or helping writers find industry professionals to work with them, the site is much more than just a portal for purchasing inexpensive digital books.
Today, the site’s blog featured news of a recent survey that Smashwords conducted, one which provides valuable feedback on ebook sales and delivery. Through analyzing the components behind what Coker calls Viral Catalysts, or in other words, the things that make a book more likely to be discovered, the survey results shed some light on what is important for authors to know about their own books.
One of Coker’s key discoveries in the survey was the discrepancy in book sales from one title to the next. As he points out, most books only sell marginally, but the ones that are considered “bestsellers” sell really, really well. Since this same piece of information is true for both traditionally and self-published books, is has to be asked: why is that? The strange dynamic is that, as a book moves up in ranking due to its sales, it is even more likely to sell even more copies due to that higher ranking. Therefore, books that initially sell well continue to rank higher due to customer activity.
The length of books and their titles seemed inordinately related. Longer books in terms of word count sell better than shorter books, but books with shorter titles sold better than books with longer titles.
Of course, the most important information from the survey for many authors will be pricing. There has been a lot of discussion and speculation over the years as to what constitutes the right price for an ebook, especially one by a self-published author. The results of Smashwords’ survey showed a few crucial pieces of information for authors looking to price their books in order to reach a maximum readership.
While the data showed that $2.99 seemed to be the most popular price for authors to set, additional data asked the question if $3.99 was not actually a more effective price point in terms of finding new consumers interested in purchasing the book. One of the most important details, however, is Coker’s assessment that self-published ebook authors actually come out ahead in terms of earnings over traditionally published authors.
“Indie ebook authors are earning royalty percentages that are 3-5 times higher than what traditionally published authors earn. Publishers are overpricing their books relative to indie ebook alternatives. This means that indie authors can reach more readers AND earn more money selling lower priced books at higher unit volumes all the while earning more per book sold than traditionally published authors at higher prices. The significance of these economic dynamics cannot be overstated.”
One point that Coker stressed throughout the results report is that every book is a unique product and the the variables that determine its success are relative. Only by understanding how readers respond to an author’s work can the author begin to make informed choices for his work.
◇The Post-MARC Era, Part 2: Where the Problems Lie, Part 1
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/05/roy-tennant-digital-libraries/the-post-marc-era-part-2/
(May 8, 2013 By Roy Tennant, The Digital Shift)
In Part 1 of this series I looked at what has become the inevitability of change in our fundamental bibliographic metadata standard MARC. And by MARC I really mean the collection of technologies, rules, carrier formats, and what have you that could be hung off that rubric.
However, as I turn to identifying specific problems that I and other see with our present situation, I should take pains to point out that I am mostly referring to the MARC21/AACR2/ISBD formulation that has held North America in its sway for lo these many years.
Also, it became clear that I as I shared a draft with colleagues that I had enough to work with that I should break it into two parts ? this first part are largely the things that I see as problems and the second part will be things that my colleague Jean Godby has identified as specific issues discovered from her voluminous and thorough work at crosswalking MARC21 to ONIX and other formats and vice versa.
So with that, let’s get started, and in no particular order:
Needless complexity. Over the forty or so years that MARC has been around, it has accreted many fields and/or subfields. Some of these are veryinfrequentlyused and yet they remain part of the standard. This means that any software written to produce or process MARC records must accommodate fields and/or subfields that hardly anyone uses. Such complexity comes at a cost that is not always justified.
Over-reliance on punctuation for semantic purposes. Punctuation marks are used in MARC for display purposes or for indicating different elements (that is, for enhancing granularity). For example, commas, slashes, and colons often appear to indicate separate elements and yet those marks can damage the ability to unambiguously parse the elements for purposes other than simple display.
Lack of sufficient granularity. For example, the 100 field where a personal name is recorded relies upon the placement of a comma to delineate parts of a name. This prevents, for example, the delineation of the male and female surnames for the names of Spanish creators (order can no longer be assumed to be male-female as it might have been in the past).
Lack of standardized statements/declarations when those would be useful. One of the most basic things a library use expects to be able to do is to identify content that is fully digital and openly available, and yet we have no way to unambiguously state this using MARC (see, for example, “MARC and the Trouble with Online”, http://www.infodocket.com/2013/03/05/slide-presentation-roy-tennant-on-marc-and-the-trouble-with-online-or-metadata-carnage-and-where-we-go-from-here/ )
Inability to unambiguously encode important characteristics. We presently have hundreds of ways that we attempt to encode the concept that a given URL in an 856 field will lead the user to the full item online. This is because we have no unambiguous way to encode this information. Neither do we have an unambiguous way to encode the information that an item is open access. Both of these are extremely valuable aspects of our bibliographic data that users rightly expect us to be able to provide.
Lack of easy extensibility. MARC lacks the ability of a given community (for example, archivists) to specify their own set of descriptive elements that could either be processed or ignored by consumers of MARC given their needs. Rather, even the most minor of changes must be vetted through a time-consuming process to eventually be added to a standard where every element has equal weight to every other element (see “Needless complexity” above).
Technical marginalization. The only users of MARC are libraries, and to a much lesser degree, publishers. Meanwhile, the publishing community has created its own standard, ONIX, which will likely marginalize MARC even further in the bibliographic metadata world. MARC itself is anachronistic as a computer communication standard, since to have even the remotest chance of understanding it requires reference to documentation that identifies the purpose of ? for example ? every byte in the header. And yet our complete reliance on a single record format means we are ill-equipped to deal with anything else.
Those are just some of the issues that occur to me as I think about where we are now and where we need to be. I would be interested to hear your thoughts ? whether for or against ? in the comments below.
◇Poisoning the Treaty for the Blind
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-fruchterman/poisoning-the-treaty-for-_b_3225181.html
(05/07/2013 1:54 pm By Jim Fructerman, Huffington Post)
The Obama Administration is turning its back on people with disabilities--and I'm outraged. I'm an engineer and social entrepreneur, trying to make the world a better place for people with disabilities, and I rarely step into the role of vocal advocate. But when you see behavior that is so unjust, you just have to speak out against it. Here is what is happening.
For years, international negotiations have been moving forward on what many have come to know as the "Treaty for the Blind." The goal of the treaty is to make it possible for people who are blind, or have other print disabilities, to get access to the books they need for education, employment and inclusion in society--no matter where they live. It's something we already do, with great success, in the United States. Early versions of the treaty embodied this principle, and in addition, would ease the international transfer of accessible books for people with disabilities.
In the end, a good treaty would mean real progress, and allow accessible books to reach millions of disabled people in other countries. Extending our own principles--that should be the United States' negotiating position.
Now, the progress made is all in jeopardy. Private interests have been hard at work to insert poison pills in the treaty, such as provisions that make the treaty either unpalatable for many countries to sign on to it or too complex to implement. It's a terrible case of private interest trumping the public good.
In the last few months we've seen the trade delegations from the United States and the European Union, at the behest of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), suddenly changed course and start advocating for positions that are contrary to current U.S. law--positions that would be hard for me to imagine passing our Congress. It has gotten to the point where many observers of the negotiations, being held at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, believe that it's turning into a "Treaty to Protect Rightsholders from the Blind!"
Why does this matter? Because at the rate we're going, we'll end up with a Treaty that doesn't help the blind, but instead advances the intellectual property agenda of the MPAA. It would be an absolute shame for this to happen.
The MPAA has claimed, in a public statement, that they are only seeking "balance." Are you as confused as I am about that? One of the most powerful industries on the planet, which already has loads of treaties and laws protecting its interests, needs to find balance against some of the most economically and information disadvantaged people on the planet? Especially since the Treaty for the Blind, if it were written to actually help the blind, would comply with all of those treaties and laws. And, that's not even mentioning that fact that the MPAA has already gotten their content excluded from the Treaty years ago. That's what the MPAA calls "balance"?
I feel quite strongly about this because of how well a balanced copyright law can work, and does work, right here in the United States. Our Bookshare library is allowed to scan just about any book needed by a person who is blind or print-disabled: we now have 190,000 of the most in-demand books and textbooks needed in accessible forms like braille, large print, and audio output. Today, as new books are produced, they are "born digital." We have the policies and we have the technology to make sure that, as Bookshare's General Manager Betsy Beaumon says, "All materials that are born digital are born accessible." We are at a point where accessibility can and should be the default mode for all books.
So, in the MPAA's "balanced" world, a system that works well in the United States--and helps hundreds of thousands of people--should be advocated against by our trade delegation? Huh?
To give you an idea of the poison pills being advocated for by the MPAA, publishers, and now the U.S. trade delegation, I've outlined the most notable ones below:
Commercial Availability Requirements. This poison pill says that if a book is commercially available in an accessible format, it can't be provided by a library to a person with a disability. This is equivalent to walking into a public library and finding padlocks on all the books with a note that says: "If you want to read it, buy it." With a commercial availability requirement, libraries like Bookshare, with hundreds of thousands of accessible books available to people with print disabilities, would have to go through such complex bureaucracy that we couldn't afford to serve people outside the U.S. under a Treaty. The World Blind Union's lead negotiator pointed out how these provisions would, in practice, stop Bookshare from serving blind people in India.
The "Three-Step Test" Chokehold. The three-step test is part of international copyright law meant to allow countries to reflect their own values in their copyright exceptions. The United States' copyright exception for the blind is a shining example of something that complies with the three-step test. So what are the negotiators trying to do? They are working to alter the very meaning of the three-step test, changing the language of the test to the point of which it will put a chokehold on a country's ability to make broader exceptions to copyrights. Which leads to #3.
Conflicts with American Law. Simply put--the US won't sign it. Our trade delegation is now advocating for a Treaty that would require, if ratified, the U.S. Congress to gut our model copyright exception. Essentially, the Treaty would be too poisonous for the U.S. to swallow. It's clear to everyone that if we couldn't even get the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, which was pretty much identical to our own Americans with Disabilities Act, ratified by the Senate, a poisoned Treaty for the Blind has no chance of ratification.
What it all boils down to is this: Content owners, such as the MPAA, are advocating for stronger, more clearly defined protections...for themselves. That's their version of balance--trying to use a Treaty for the Blind as a tactic to advance their broader agenda. And it's shameful that instead of being honest about their intentions, they instead accuse groups like the World Blind Union--who are pretty much focused on making the world better for blind people--of trying to "undermine the global marketplace."
Americans who care about accessibility need to let the Obama Administration know they don't want a poisoned Treaty!
◇Participants Needed for Testing a New Math Education Software Tool for the Blind During the 2013 NFB National Convention
https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/participants-needed-testing-new-math-education-software-tool-blind-during-2013-nfb
(Tuesday, May 7, 2013 National Federation of the Blind)
At the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Jernigan Institute we work on creating educational programs and tools that enhance the participation of blind students. The summer of 2013 marks our tenth summer in a row providing high quality instruction in science, technology, engineering, and math?see the NFB STEM-X program http://www.blindscience.org/STEMX. Below is an announcement about an exciting product that will be tested at the 2013 NFB National Convention. In the past, too much technology development was done without input from blind students. The work being done by this team of researchers and technology developers is exactly where we should be putting time and energy as blind consumers. Our participation in this research will make the resulting technologies truly powerful. I encourage you to take part in this important research.
Participants Needed for Testing a New Math Education Software Tool for the Blind During the 2013 NFB National Convention
gh, LLC (makers of the ReadHear e-book reader software) and the University of Alabama in Huntsville are developing a new software program to enable improved math education (particularly in advanced subjects like algebra and calculus) for blind and visually impaired students. They are looking for volunteers to participate in one of eight testing sessions on Tuesday, July 2, from 1:00-5:00 p.m., to help evaluate and refine the software’s design.
Thirty-two participant slots are available (four slots every thirty minutes, starting from 1:00-4:30 p.m.). Appointments are recommended. Walk-up time slots may be available on a limited basis.
Participants must have recent experience with Windows, screen-reader software, and high school algebra. Current high school or college students are preferred.
During the thirty-minute testing session, participants will be introduced to the software, instructed in its use, and then provided with a series of basic algebra-related exercises to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the software’s interface. At the end of the session, participants will be able to give feedback and suggestions about the software. All participants will receive a small gift as thanks for their time and assistance.
Contact wlau@gh-accessibility or dws0009@uah.edu for more information or to make an appointment.
◇The New York Public Library Discusses eBook Pilot Projects
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/the-new-york-public-library-discusses-ebook-pilot-projects
(MAY 06, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
The New York Public Library is one of the most successful branches in the USA and it has been one of the first to adopt a cohesive digital strategy. The library system has been distributing ebooks via Overdrive since 2004 and recently started doing business with the 3M Cloud Library. During the last few months, Penguin and Simon & Shuster have both launched their first US pilot projects at the New York Public Library. How does the library secure the rights to participate in the pilot and how do the underlying semantics work?
To answer this question, we caught up with Christopher Platt, the Director of Collection & Circulation Operations at NYPL. He mentioned that publishers often choose his library because of the sheer amount of visibility and internet ebook loans they get. The library saw over 753,000 loans in one calendar year just for trade-fiction, which was a huge jump from 173,000 three years ago. Overall lending in one year toppled 28,000,000 digital books, audiobooks, movies, physical books and music files.
One of the big reasons why Penguin and Simon & Shuster do business with the New York Public Library is because of the data the library receives. Chris said, “When you don’t pay attention to public libraries, you lose a large amount of data. Publishers aren’t being exposed to that reader’s behavior. Libraries aggregate data all over the place, funding agencies, government, and annual reports. There is big value in sharing data with publisher, but remember, no private information is given out.” He went on to elaborate, “For Penguin, we give them the circulation information and then they can compare it to the sales data.”
One of the drawbacks in participating in so many pilot projects is inevitably you will have to do more business with digital content distribution systems. Overdrive has been one of the most longstanding primer partners, but the company tends to ruffle publishers’ feathers by loaning out the library ebooks to Kindle e-Readers. This has promoted the NYPL to do also do business with the 3M Cloud Library System. This means there are now two completely different content systems being used to facilitate ebooks from many different publishers.
Obviously, it can get quite confusing with two massive systems, but Chris and his team manage the situation quite well. Chris told me “We used the Penguin pilot as a new competitor to Overdrive. We are making sure that we’re not overlapping content dealing with many different companies, keeping both separate, if we have a title in Overdrive, we are not buying it from 3M.”
One of the things Chris wants to develop is a new library checkout method that won’t take library patrons away from the main library’s website. As it stands, when you do business with Overdrive, you begin at your main library’s website, and then you are redirected to the Overdrive’s checkout portal, which creates confusion in the whole process. Chris told me that he wants to eventually streamline the entire process, so it’s easier and more intuitive. Chris and his team will most likely employ the new Overdrive API system that allows technical teams to do just that.
Running the most visited cultural institution in New York can can be quite taxing on the budget. Chris would not talk specific numbers, but 7% of the total money available is used to procure ebooks. The library has also been hit hard by budget constraints due to a rough patch in the American economy. This means the overall pool of financial resources is lower now than what it was five years ago. One of the ways the NY library offsets costs is by buying the ebook but not the physical book, to prevent duplications in the system. Chris mentioned, “With the new pilots projects by Penguin, Hachette, and Simon and Shuster, it is a very heavy drain on our materials budget for next year. We want to be careful around the system, because of the prices changing with the amount of loans.”
Penguin and the New York Public Library are not only running a pilot project, in which all front and back-list titles are available, but it is also experimenting with sales. If you consider the new Dan Brown book coming out in a few weeks, there are already 500 people on the waiting list. Your average patron might have to wait months to read the digital editions. To offset this, NYPL will be introducing BUY IT NOW links that will allow customers to buy the book from their favorite ebook store and the library will see a small royalty in return. Chris made it very clear that this program “is not looking to disrupt the traditional bookstore experience. It’s about giving our patrons more freedoms.”
One thing Chris and I agreed on was that every big six publishing company had different terms on selling their ebooks to the libraries. Some had increased the digital cost by over 300%, while others have adopted a 26 limit checkout before needing to purchase the book again. Still others have different pricing structures and different terms. Chris thinks “this whole situation will iron itself out in due time, as libraries start to work with publishers more directly.”
My take is that when the Justice Department came down hard on all of the big six publishers, it has soured them on defining a comprehensive library strategy. They are all really scared to be talking to each other on the record because of the global collusion cases levied against them for establishing “Agency Pricing.” You basically have all six companies doing completely different things, with no consistency in terms and pricing. It is illegal for them to come together and try and figure this out, so it is basically up to the the big libraries and the American Library Association to liaison across the world of publishing.
The New York Public Library System has seen massive gains in its digital platforms, due to the new CEO Tony Marx who joined the system in 2011. Since then, he instilled the belief that you should devise systems and plan for five to ten years from now, but also two years from now. He has been a driving force in getting these publishers to deal with this library in these pilot projects and giving them all the big data they need to gauge if it’s a success. Obviously, this approach worked, and after a few short months Penguin got out of the trial and decided to loan out their entire catalog of books in every library in the USA.
In the end, the digital future looks bright for the New York Public Library with Chris and Tony spearheading the digital initiatives. Soon the vast majority of ebooks will be available in the USA, Canada, and other major markets. If it wasn’t for hard work and the love of reading, likely the entire industry would see a major setback and we would still be wondering why the major publishers aren’t loaning their books out. Also, a special tip of the hat to the president of the American Library Association Maureen Sullivan for her tireless efforts.
◇After One Full Year, TOR Books Reflects on Abandoning DRM
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/after-one-full-year-tor-books-reflects-on-abandoning-drm
(MAY 05, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
Science Fiction and Fantasy imprint TOR celebrated one year of abandoning DRM and the company has stated that it has seen no noticeable increase in piracy.
DRM or Digital Rights Management is a form of encryption that retailers and publishing companies employ to protect their works. This often causes confusion for the customers and warrant using bulky programs to copy the eBooks on more then one device.
TOR, a subsidiary of Macmillan, reflect on the last year of going DRM-Free.
“The move has been a hugely positive one for us, it’s helped establish Tor and Tor UK as an imprint that listens to its readers and authors when they approach us with a mutual concern?and for that we’ve gained an amazing amount of support and loyalty from the community. And a year on we’re still pleased that we took this step with the imprint and continue to publish all of Tor UK’s titles DRM-free.”
Readers are the main people who win from the abandoning of DRM. Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series, recently said “I’m happy to see that Tor have gone DRM-free with their eBook editions. DRM doesn’t impede pirates, but it subjects honest customers to a monopoly tightly controlled by the owners of the DRM software, reducing readers’ freedom and hampering competition.”
TOR and Pottermore continue to buckle the trend of curbing piracy, while still not using Digital Rights Management. Hopefully these two companies will act as case study for other digital publishing imprints.
◇Sourcebooks, Overdrive Pilot Reshapes Relationships Between Publishers and Libraries
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/sourcebooks-overdrive-pilot-reshapes-relationships-between-publishers-and-libraries
(MAY 04, 2013 By Mercy Pilkington Good E-Reader)
Two of the most innovative entities in the book industry are headed up by two of the most foward-thinking individuals in the business. Thankfully, the results of Dominique Raccah and Steve Potash working together on a pilot program stand to be nothing short of astounding, and hopefully to completely overturn any issues the industry has with library ebook lending.
Publishing company Sourcebooks is working with digital media content provider OverDrive on a short-term program to document the effects of lending. 35,000 librarians were invited to participate in the program, which will invite all of their library patrons to simultaneously use a single Sourcebooks title, The Four Corners of the Sky, between May 15th and June 1 in what the partnership is calling the “Big Library Read.”
Powered by OverDrive for its member libraries and documented in terms of impact on sales by Sourcebooks, the program is going to attempt to demonstrate once-and-for-all the effects of letting people borrow an ebook. OverDrive will track the lending of the book, and Sourcebooks will follow the sales of that title and the other titles published by author Michael Malone.
The plan is to reverse some of the long-held misconceptions that ebook lending could lead to increased piracy and decreased sales, a belief that has already been demonstrated to be false by Kobo at Digital Book World back in 2012 when Michael Tamblyn presented sales data for Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy. His data showed that the sales of all three titles increased after the book was made available for lending, especially in regards to the sequels as patrons were eager to continue reading after being able to borrow the first book.
The program will also work on brand recognition and author following by determining how many patrons read or sampled the book, how many patrons went on to search for the author’s other titles, and inviting the patrons to follow the author via social media and tracking the increase there. Early data from this pilot will be presented at BookExpo America in May.
◇Grading Kindle Accessibility on iOS
https://nfb.org/blog/atblog/grading-kindle-accessibility-ios
(Friday, May 3, 2013 By Amy Mason National Federation of Blind)
Hip Hip Hooray! There shall be joy and dancing in the streets. It finally happened! Without a word to anyone, Amazon quietly slipped an update to their Kindle app into the app store. This was not left unnoticed for long. CNET, Engadget, and PC Magazine, have all put in their two cents, but now’s the real question. Considering the “Accessibility” features in the Kindle Fire, the A team was understandably skeptical when we heard this announcement. That being the case, what’s a better way to learn about a free app than to download it, and play?
◎Grading Criteria
Amazon has been working very hard lately to get their books into the classroom. Therefore, it seems especially fitting to me to give them a bit of a test, and put the grades up for all to see. Therefore, I will be grading the Amazon app according to the fairly recognizable scale that many of us used in school. Points will be deducted for features that do not work as they ought to, or those that have not been implemented accessibly at all. Each category will start at 100% and grades will be averaged at the end. Double weight will be awarded to the most important categories for successful use in the classroom. Severity of impact upon the reader will determine how many points are lost for any given failing.
F: 0-59%
D: 60-69%
C: 70-79%
B: 80-89%
A: 90-100%
So let’s get started then, shall we? We will be grading against what is possible for sighted users, as well as against the capabilities of other accessible eReading platforms. Really each grade will only be a bullet point, unless of course further explanation is required. One further note before we get started. None of the current options would pass my test below with a perfect grade. Several eReading platforms would pass, but no one has all the answers yet.
◎General Layout (Double): 98%
Does the app layout make sense?
Yes. Full marks. The app is easy to navigate.
Are all buttons clearly labeled and accessible to the user?
Yes
Can a user get the information they need in the library to download and access books? -2 pts.
Blind users are not given information on how far they are into a book, which is available to sighted Kindle users. It doesn’t terribly affect the enjoyment or usefulness of the app, and the information can be gleaned from the menus inside of the book, so the points removed will be minimal, however, this is information that some users may want to have.
How about using menus to change font and other reading options?
Full Marks. This matters because if a user is using speech, they may want to decrease font size to hear page turn noises as little as possible, or increase font size to have a more granular Braille reading experience (more on this later).
◎Basic Reading (Double): 93%
These are the minimum criteria for reading a book, primarily for pleasure.
Can a user navigate text easily including read continuously, move by pages, lines, characters and words?
Yes.
Move backward and forward in the text?
Yes
Bookmark their place and easily access bookmarks again?
Yes
Jump between chapters? -7 pts.
A user ought to be able to at the very minimum use the table of contents in a book to move from one chapter to the next, but many Kindle books do not offer a table of contents, and inline links (which often replace a properly coded table of contents) are not accessible to blind users.
◎Academic Reading (Double): 55%
Academic reading is more involved and active. It requires a more stringent level of interaction with the text than regular reading and thus has further requirements that must be considered.
Can a user select text? -30 pts.
Amazon has implemented a method for selecting text, but it is extremely buggy. A user is expected to double-tap and hold to select text on the page, however this method is at best deeply flawed, and at worst unusable. When a user attempts to double-tap and hold to select text, about one third of the time, the page changes, one third of the time the menus appear, and the final third a word is selected. It is almost never the word that the VoiceOver cursor is highlighting. It is usually a word on the same line, but if a user has a page full of text, it can be difficult, if not impossible to then find the actual word they wished to select. Once a first word is selected, using selections is handled quite cleverly in that it is possible to move the beginning and end of the selection to add to it or shrink it,
Can a user take notes in the text? -10 pts.
Yes, if they are able to select it. The note taking feature works, and leaves a note in the list of associated information in the “Go To” menu, however, a blind user who is later reading the text will not be aware the note is actively there. It is understandable that a heavily annotated text might be annoying to read, but this could be fixed for both blind and sighted users by offering a “clean” view, and an “annotated” view which would include a user’s notes and highlights, and speak them to the blind user as they come across them.
Can a user access the dictionary?
Yes, but only if they can select the word they want to view.
Can a user highlight important or interesting passages for easy later retrieval? -10 pts.
The highlights are available to a blind user in the “Go To” menu, but not announced inline.
Can a user access endnotes and footnotes? -20 pts.
No, this is not possible, just like other links in the text; this is unavailable to blind users.
Can a user jump to a certain page in the text?
Yes, if the book includes page numbers. Not all Kindle books do.
Can a user access X-Ray and Book Extras? +25 Bonus points.
X-ray and Book Extras are features that are available only from Kindle books, and can be used to give information on the background of a book. They include glossary terms, major characters, possibly major locations and other important information about the book. This makes up partially for no access to end and foot notes, and is a feature that is presently not available through other vendors. Because these features are accessible and very useful to students, Amazon earns some points back here. Disclaimer: this feature was tested with text-based content only, no graphics or interactive content were encountered
◎Braille Support (double): 25%
Disclaimer: Braille was tested on the iPad 2 with the BrailleEDGE. Your results may vary, in fact, I hope they do.
Braille is an important criterion in the academic environment as well as in leisure reading. Furthermore, it is the only way that deaf-blind users will have access to Kindle books, therefore it receives double weight.
Can the text be read with Braille? -20 pts.
Yes, sometimes. However it is fully possible for a Braille user to crash the access to Braille in the app by trying to move to the top or bottom of a page. If this is attempted, a user may find that the Braille display no longer pans, and the only way they will get Braille function back in the Kindle app is to close the book they are reading (using the screen) and open a new book. Turning pages also seems to remedy the behavior, though strangely the Braille is about a page behind the voice if speech has not been silenced.
Can the text be navigated with Braille with the same granularity as with speech? -15 pts.
No. When a Braille display is paired, it sees the entire page as a single chunk of text. Therefore, a Braille user can turn pages, and begin at the top of each page, however, they are unable to navigate through the page using rotor commands available to speech users, and thus lose the ability to move by words and lines.
Can app menus be controlled using only a Braille display? -25 pts.
No. During our testing, the Braille display and speech would lock up when trying to navigate through menus on an iPad 2. If it is possible to use menus successfully with Braille, it is buggy at least on some devices and can get users locked into a state they cannot exit without crashing the app. Therefore, deaf-blind users may not be able to access the Kindle app.
Can users select text with Braille? -15 pts.
No, there is no equivalent for double-tap and hold on the Braille display so all commands that require this gesture are not going to work.
◎Content: 100%
No requirements here really. Kindle has the largest library out there. It’s why we’ve all been champing at the bit to get to it for so very long.
◎Ecosystem: 85%
Are social networking features such as sharing quotes and ratings of books accessible?
Yes. Though some require the ability to select text first.
Is Whispersync and Whispersync for Voice accessible?
Unknown as this has not been adequately tested. (It is likely though because the dialog that offers to move a user to the latest part of the book in the inaccessible versions of the app actually were accessible iOS dialogs.) Whispersync allows a user to sync their bookmarks, notes and location in a book to other devices and Whispersync for Voice syncs a user’s location in an Audible book with their location in a text book.
Is buying books accessible? -5 pts.
Book buying is as accessible as buying any other product on Amazon, so generally usable, but not fully accessible when using standard web accessibility guidelines. The process may be difficult for some web users.
Cross-platform use: -10 pts.
Amazon is promising improvements in this area, however, until more apps and devices are released, and firmware for other Kindle devices is updated, iOS is really far and away, the most accessible Amazon Kindle platform.
◎Conclusions:
Amazon has made a good start, but with a grade of (…wait, let me pull out my calculator here…) 73% (a low C) they still have some serious work to do to come up to the standard of accessibility we hope to see for our students. Do I recommend using it? Yes… mostly… if you aren’t doing anything too serious with it, and if the Braille is not going to be a major concern. It’s got a pleasure reading grade of 77% a high C, and that would be a fair bit higher if Braille was working properly. This puts it in a similar class as the Nook app which I’ve used to read a novel or two. (Nook’s Braille is limited, but it is less likely to crack under the pressure than the Kindle app’s. Would I want my textbooks on it, for my next class, well no, nor would I want to use it to read my Kindle books in Braille, with all the difficulties encountered while testing, but for picking up a novel with speech, I’d say give it a go.
◇Verbraucherzentralen wollen fur Weiterverkauf von E-Books kampfen
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/verlage/verlage_nachricht/datum/2013/05/02/innovative-geschaeftsmodelle-werden-behindert.htm
(02. Mai 2013 (06:09 Uhr) buchreport)
Der Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen geht gegen das Urteil des Landgerichts Bielefeld zum (verbotenen) Weiterverkauf von E-Books in Berufung. Die Verbraucherschutzer verweisen auf eine Grundsatzentscheidung des Europaischen Gerichtshofs.
Das Landgericht Bielefeld hatte im April 2013 nach einer Klage der Verbraucherzentrale gegen ein Downloadportal von E-Books entschieden, dass Verbraucher kein Eigentum an dem E-Book erhalten, sondern nur ein Nutzungsrecht ? und daher keine Kopien fur Dritte anfertigen oder das E-Book weiterverkaufen durfen (hier mehr).
Die Verbraucherschutzer hatten erklart, dass beim Kauf eines gedruckten Buches eine sogenannte ?Erschopfung“ der Rechte des Urhebers eintritt ? der Konsument kann das gedruckte Buch seinerseits verausern. Das Gleiche musse auch fur den ?Kauf“ der digitalen Bucher gelten. Die Richter jedoch meinten, die Erschopfungswirkung trete beim Download von digitalen Werken wie E-Books nicht ein.
In der Begrundung dafur, warum sie in Berufung gehen wollen, blicken die Verbraucherschutzer zu einer Grundsatzentscheidung des Europaischen Gerichtshofs, der im Rahmen der Auslegung der Computerrichtlinie 2012 klargestellt hatte,
dass der Erwerb von Software stets einen Kauf darstelle, unabhangig davon, ob eine Kopie in Form eines Datentragers oder einer Datei zur Verfugung gestellt werde und
dass der Erschopfungsgrundsatz auch beim Download von Software anwendbar sei, mit der Folge, dass Software weiterverkauft werden durfe.
?Die unterschiedliche Behandlung von Software und anderen digitalen Werkarten wie zum Beispiel E-Books ist nicht nachvollziehbar“, schlussfolgern die Verbraucherschutzer. Computerprogramme und Multimediadateien unterschieden sich nur geringfugig, hinzu komme, dass der in Europa geltende Grundsatz des freien Warenverkehrs eingeschrankt werde und so die Entwicklung von neuen innovativen Geschaftsmodellen fur gebrauchte digitale Guter und deren Markteintritt behindert.
Am Ende sei der europaische Gesetzgeber gefragt, dieses ?Missverhaltnis zu Gunsten der Verbraucher aufzulosen und den Weiterverkauf samtlicher digitaler Werkarten eurparechtlich neu zu regeln“.
◇Grosbritannien: Buchmarkt wachst 2012 um 4%
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/verlage/verlage_nachricht/datum/2013/05/02/e-books-machen-print-schwaeche-wett.htm
(02. Mai 2013 (06:29 Uhr) buchreport)
Der Verkauf digitaler Bucher kompensiert in Grosbritannien inzwischen die Schwache des Print-Geschafts. Anders als in den USA wachst der E-Book-Markt auf der Insel noch hochdynamisch.
Nach Angaben der Publishers Association wuchs der gesamte Umsatz der Branche im vergangenen Jahr um 4% auf 3,3 Mrd Pfund. Im Vorjahr waren die Erlose noch um 2% geschrumpft. Die Verleger fuhren das Plus besonders auf den digitalen Sektor zuruck, der um 66% auf 411 Mio Pfund zulegte; der Publikums-Markt fur E-Books wuchs sogar um 134% (auf 216 Mio Pfund).
Weitere Ergebnisse aus dem ?Statistics Yearbook 2012“:
Der Markt fur gedruckte Belletristik, legte, hauptsachlich durch den Erfolg der ?Fifty Shades“-Bucher, um 3% auf 502 Mio Pfund zu.
Nimmt man die E-Books hinzu, wuchs der Belletristik-Markt um 21% auf 674 Mio Pfund.
Der Umsatz mit gedruckten Non-Fiction-Buchern (u.a. Sachbuch, Ratgeber) sank um 2%.
Der gesamte Print-Markt schrumpfte umsatzmasig um 1%.
Der Chef des Verlegerverbands Richard Mollet zeigte sich zuversichtlich, dass der Aufwartstrend in diesem Jahr anhalt. Hoffnungstrager seien u.a. das Digitalgeschaft an Schulen und Universitaten. ?Der Trend der digitalen Innovation zeigt, dass wir gut vorbereitet sind, an die gute Leistung anzuknupfen, und wenn die Gesamtwirtschaft wieder anzieht, hilft uns das.“
◇Greater Accessibility Now on Kindle for iOS App
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/greater-accessibility-now-on-kindle-for-ios-app
(MAY 02, 2013 By Mercy Pilkington Good E-Reader)
Amazon released an update today to its free Kindle app for iOS that stands to vastly improve the accessibility and reach of ebook services for the visually impaired, learning disabled, and more. This update will allow users to more easily search through their bookshelves and individual titles.
According to a statement from Amazon on the new features, this update will allow users of the Kindle app to access the read aloud over 1.8 million titles available in the Kindle Store using Apple’s VoiceOver technology, navigate within their libraries or books using consistent title, menu and button names or navigate directly to a specific page within a book, read character-by-character, word-by-word, line-by-line, or continuously, as well as move forward or backward in the text, add or delete notes, bookmarks, and highlights, look up words in the dictionary and Wikipedia, and much more. Additionally, users will be able to customize the reading experience including changing the font, text size, background color, margin, and brightness, as well as use existing iOS accessibility features like Zoom, Assistive Touch, and Stereo to Mono, as well as peripheral braille displays.
All of these capabilities help to ensure that entire segments of the reading population have their book needs met, as well as help educational institutions meet the needs of student learners in a much more accessible, cost effective way.
While these features are currently only being rolled out for the Kindle for iOS app, available for free download, Amazon has already made many of these capabilities available on the Kindle for PC with Accessibility Plugin app as well, available for Windows PCs.
◇O’Reilly Tools of Change Conference Discontinued
http://goodereader.com/blog/tools-of-change/oreilly-tools-of-change-conference-discontinued
(MAY 02, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
Tim O’Reilly announced today that the annual conference will be suspended and the company will no longer run its digital publishing conference in New York.
Since 2007, the O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference has been the seminal event for professionals and companies engaged with the challenges and opportunities of new publishing technologies and business models. The company had engaging speakers and was often one of the best breeding grounds for new ideas and for industry professionals to meet up and chat about the current state of affairs. Tim mentioned in a statement today, “The decision to discontinue a popular conference was not one we made lightly. But after TOC 2013, we realized that a conference was no longer the best vehicle for us to contribute to publishing’s forward movement.”
O’Reilly seems to be doing away with conferences and focusing more on its tools group. It seems as though the company has all of the intelligence it needs and a better understanding of the industry to push out a series of digital publishing tools that it will market online and offline. The new project is called ‘Atlas’ and is a work in progress.
Tim wrapped up a digital publishing legacy by saying, “TOC was a great ride, and we’ll miss many things about that annual gathering of the future-positive publishing community. Ideas and connections from TOC will continue to inform our work and, we hope, yours. I especially want to thank TOC program chairs Kat Meyer and Joe Wikert for the passion, creativity, and commitment they brought to their work. I wish them well, and am confident that they’ll continue to help shape the publishing industry’s future.”
◇電子書籍プラットフォームのアクセシビリティーの現状 (2012年12月時点)
http://accsell.net/clipping/ebook-platform-accessibility-report-2012.html
(2013年5月2日 中根雅文 AccSell)
この記事は、AccSellメールマガジン第8号 (2012年12月26日発行) に筆者が寄稿したものだ。先頃iOS用のKindleがVoiceOverに対応したことで状況は大きく変わったが、それ以前の状況を知る上で多少なりとも参考にしていただけるのではないかと思い掲載する。
なお、文末に「追記」として、本稿執筆時以降の状況の変化などを中心に補足しているので、併せてご覧いただきたい。
※AccSellメールマガジンは、普段の連載に加えてこのような記事も折に触れて掲載しています。月額840円ですが、登録月は無料ですので、ぜひお試しください。
AmazonのKindle Storeが日本でもサービスを開始し、注目されることが増えてきた電子書籍のプラットフォームだが、そのアクセシビリティ的な側面についてはあまりまとまった情報がないのが現状だ。本稿では、この分野で先行するアメリカのメジャーな電子書籍プラットフォームについて、アクセシビリティに関する現状を筆者が把握している範囲でまとめる。なお、以下に記述する内容は、いずれも2012年12月時点で筆者が聞き及んでいる状況である。また、本稿ではアクセシビリティに関することを中心に記すので、これらのプラットフォームの一般的な使い勝手などについては、他のレビューなどを参考にしていただきたい。
◎アメリカの主な電子書籍プラットフォーム
アメリカでコンテンツ数やユーザー数などでそれなりに規模が大きく、「メジャー」といってもよい電子書籍プラットフォームとしては、以下の4つが挙げられる。
Kindle (Amazon)
Nook (Barns And Noble)
iBooks (Apple)
Google Play Books (Google)
この他にもいくつかのプラットフォームがあり、中には一定のアクセシビリティが確保されているものもあるようだが、本稿では上記4プラットフォームについて記す。
◎Amazon Kindle
Kindle Storeで販売される電子書籍の場合、出版社などのコンテンツ供給者が同意した場合に、端末側で合成音声による読み上げを許可することを示すフラグを立てることができる。 (以下「TTSフラグ」と記す。) TTSフラグが付けられているコンテンツの場合、特定の端末上で、そのコンテンツを合成音声を用いて読み上げさせることができる。
音声読み上げに対応している端末だが、正式にはKindle Keyboardと呼ばれる2世代前の端末と、Windows環境で動作するクライアント・ソフトウェアのKindle for PCのTTS対応のバージョンのみである。
Kindle Keyboardは日本では未発売の端末だ。ただし、Amazon.comから直接購入することは可能だ。この端末の場合、設定を変更することで端末の操作メニューなども音声化され、全盲の視覚障碍者でも主な操作については独力で行うことが可能となる。
一方Kindle for PCは、一般に配布されているバージョンではTTSフラグには対応しておらず、対応したKindle for PC with Accessibility Pluginを入手する必要がある。しかし、同ソフトウェアのダウンロードページにアクセスすると、日本からはダウンロードできない旨のメッセージが表示される。どの国からであればダウンロードできるのかという情報は、筆者が知る限り公開されていないが、アメリカやその他のダウンロード可能な国からアクセスするなどしなければ入手できないのが現状だ。
KindleにはiOS用とAndroid用のアプリケーションも存在する。しかし、これらはいずれもTTSフラグには対応していない。
TTSフラグに対応した端末で、TTSフラグが付与されたコンテンツを閲覧した場合だが、「とりあえず読み上げはできる」というレベルの状況だというのが筆者の印象だ。具体的には、任意のページに移動して、そこから読み上げを開始させれば、ちゃんと読み上げはしてくれる。しかし、できることはこの読み上げ開始の操作と停止の操作、読み上げ実行中の一時停止と読み上げ再開くらいだ。単語単位、文字単位でテキストの内容を確認するようなことはできない。そのため、小説などをよむのには問題はないといってよいと思うが、例えば学術資料を参照して詳細に検討したいとか、分からない単語の意味を調べたいので綴りを確認したいといったようなことには対応できない。
なお、Kindle KeyboardもKindle for PC with Accessibility Pluginも、内蔵している音声合成エンジンは英語用のもののみのため、英語以外のコンテンツの読み上げには対応していない点に注意が必要だ。
また、最近発売されている端末についてだが、Androidベースの端末については、晴眼者の力を借りればアクセシビリティ機能を有効にすることができ、その状態であれば一定の読み上げは可能だということだ。しかし、正式にはこれらの端末でのアクセシビリティ・サポートについては情報が提供されていない。今後、これらの端末で採用されるAndroidが、よりアクセシビリティ機能の高いものになった時に、何らかのアナウンスがされるのではないかという予想をしている人もいるが、実際にどうなるかは不明である。また、その場合もAndroidに標準で日本語対応の音声合成エンジンが搭載されるようにならないと、日本語コンテンツの読み上げはできないものと思われる。
◎Nook
Nookも、Kindle同様に専用端末が存在する。しかし、専用端末には特にアクセシビリティ対応の機能は搭載されていないようだ。一方、2012年12月にリリースされたiOS用のNookでは、読み上げと拡大表示に対応したということが発表されている。
iOS用のNookだが、日本のiTunes Storeからは入手できないようだ。そのため筆者は試すことができていないが、アメリカのポッドキャストなどから得られた情報によると、iOS用のNookはiOSのアクセシビリティ機能をそのまま活用するように設計されているということだ。したがって、例えば文字単位、単語単位の読み上げなども、iOSの読み上げ機能をそのまま使うことで実現されているものと思われる。また、対応する点字ディスプレイを接続したiOSデバイスであれば、点字表示も適切に行われる可能性が高いことが考えられる。
◎iBooks
iOSデバイス上で動作するアプリケーションとして提供されているiBooksは、筆者が試した範囲ではアクセシビリティが高い形で実装されている。残念ながら有料で配信されているコンテンツの場合にどうかは試すことができていないが、無料で配信されているコンテンツについては、VoiceOverを使って問題なく読むことができることを確認している。iBooksの場合も、点字ディスプレイへの表示ができる可能性が高いと考えられる。
◎Google Play Books
これまでに筆者は、iOS用のPlay BooksとAndroid用のPlay Booksを試したことがある。このうち、Nexus 7 (Android 4.2) 上でAndroid用Play Booksを起動した場合には、コンテンツの読み上げができることを確認している。ただし、これもiBooks同様、無料で配信されているコンテンツのみでの確認で、有料コンテンツの場合にどうであるかは確認できていない。なお、文字単位、単語単位での読み上げが可能かどうかという点など、詳しい動作については検証できていない。
Android 4.0 (AUのHTC J) 上の場合、読み上げに関する設定はあるのだが、筆者が試した範囲では読み上げを実行することはできなかった。また、iOS用のPlay Booksでは、読み上げはできないようである。
◎日本の状況
日本においては、多数の電子書籍プラットフォームが存在しているが、最後に2012年に注目されることが多かったAmazon Kindleと楽天Koboについて、簡単に触れておくことにする。
まず、Kindleだが、前述の通り、現状では日本語の読み上げを実現している環境は存在しない。また、アメリカのAmazonでは各コンテンツのTTSフラグの状況についてコンテンツごとの詳細情報のページで示されているが、日本のAmazonにおいては同様の表示が存在しない。そのため、今後もしKindleが日本語の読み上げに対応した場合でも、日本のKindle Storeで販売されているコンテンツの読み上げはできないという状況になることが危惧される。
一方楽天Koboだが、販売されている端末にアクセシビリティ関連の機能が搭載されているという話は聞かない。また、先頃リリースされたAndroid用の閲覧アプリケーションに関しても、筆者が試した限り、TalkBackで利用することは難しそうな印象だった。
◎まとめ
以上、駆け足で見てきたように、アメリカにおける電子書籍プラットフォームにおいては、ある程度のアクセシビリティが確保されているのに対して、日本はこの点については出遅れているという印象だ。今後、日本においてどのプラットフォームが普及し、コンテンツが充実したプラットフォームがどれになるのかという点については2013年以降に徐々に明らかになっていくことだろう。日本の場合、プラットフォームによってコミックなどの画像中心のコンテンツに強いもの、小説などテキスト中心のコンテンツに強いものなど、プラットフォームごとに特徴がある形で各プラットフォームが成長していくことも考えられる。そのため、やみくもにアクセシビリティに対する取り組みを加速させるように要望するというのは必ずしも得策ではなく、普及状況なども踏まえてアクセシビリティ確保のための要望をしていく必要がありそうだ。
とはいえ、そもそもどういったことが可能なのかを知る上でも、この分野で一歩先を行っている印象があるアメリカの状況を知っておくことは有益だろう。今後も、折に触れて海外の状況を紹介していく予定である。
◎追記
日本のAmazonでは、今もTTSフラグに関する情報は提供されていない模様だ。有料の書籍を購入する場合、書籍の冒頭部分が無料で提供されているサンプル版を入手すれば、ある程度の判断は可能だと思われる。しかし、サンプル版は読み上げ可能であっても有料で購入したものは読み上げできないというようなことが絶対にないのかということははっきりとはしておらず、この点に関する改善が求められる。
iBooksについて、日本のiTunes Storeでも有料の書籍の提供が始まったので、実際に試してみた。読み上げは可能なものの、おそらくページが切り替わる部分前後で行の読み飛ばしが発生するという問題があり、実用的な読書環境とはいえないのが現状だ。なお、この現象は縦書きの書籍のみで発生するという情報もある。
◇National Federation of the Blind Comments on Amazon Kindle App
https://nfb.org/national-federation-blind-comments-amazon-kindle-app
(May 1, 2013 National Federation of the Blind)
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nation’s leading advocate for access to technology and education for the blind, commented today on Amazon’s incorporation of new accessibility features into its application for the iPhone and other devices using Apple’s iOS operating system.
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “We are pleased that Amazon has taken advantage of the inherent accessibility of Apple products and Apple’s clear guidelines for creating accessible applications by finally releasing a version of its Kindle app that allows blind readers to access Kindle content on Apple devices. Continued improvement of this app is needed, however, in order to make it appropriate for use in educational settings, and Amazon must also make its Kindle devices fully accessible. Amazon should also make its future software, devices, and content available to the blind when these products are released to the general public rather than implementing accessibility at an unspecified later time. Today’s app release is a significant step on the journey to full access to Kindle content by the blind, but that journey is not over, and the National Federation of the Blind will not rest until its completion.”
The National Federation of the Blind has advocated for full access to Kindle devices and Kindle e-books since Amazon introduced the Kindle. Most recently, NFB members staged an informational protest in front of Amazon’s Seattle headquarters to explain why Kindle e-books should not be used in schools because they do not provide equal access to all of the same information and features by both blind and sighted students. For more information on this issue, please visit www.nfb.org/kindle-books.
◇3M Cloud Library Now Offering eBooks by Hachette
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/3m-cloud-library-now-offering-ebooks-by-hachette
(MAY 01, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
The 3M Cloud Library Service has just inked a new deal with the Hachette Book Group that rounds off their relationship with all six major publishers. This will make available all titles from James Patterson and Nicholas Sparks for patrons to borrow from the library. Hachette Book Group’s full eBook catalog will be available to libraries with no delay on new titles.
“3M Cloud Library aspires to achieve the breadth and depth of the best public libraries’ collections, to ensure that readers of all tastes find the perfect book,” said Tom Mercer, marketing manager, 3M Cloud Library. “We continue to build a diverse, multi-language collection with relevance, balance, and richness for all readers.”
Currently 3M is starting to be a force to be reckoned with in the US and now offers eBooks from over 300 different publishers. The great thing about the new distribution deal with Hachette, is that all titles are available. Some publishers only make available older books or backlist titles, libraries will benefit tremendously due to the fact they can buy all the latest bestsellers.
◇Overdrive Now Offering New eBooks from Hachette Book Group
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/overdrive-now-offering-new-ebooks-from-hachette-book-group
(MAY 01, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
Overdrive, one of the largest companies facilitating the delivery of electronic books for libraries has announced a new deal with the Hachette Book Group. Starting May 7th, over 5,000 eBooks from Hachette will be added to the Overdrive catalog and include notable authors David Baldacci, Sara Zarr, Sandra Brown, James Patterson, David Sedaris and Kate Atkinson.
Hachette Book Group eBooks will follow a one-copy/one-user lending model, and there will be no checkout or term limit for the titles on the OverDrive platform. All eBooks titles will be available, which means it will be available on Overdrive the same day as their printed counterparts. Over 22,000 libraries in Canada, US, Australia and many other countries are able to add these new books into their system.
“Hachette Book Group offers many of the most beloved authors and series in the world and we’re thrilled to be able to offer them to our OverDrive network,” said Erica Lazzaro, director of publisher relations at OverDrive. “We’ve worked hard to support and advocate for libraries by adding the top publishers and most popular eBooks and audiobooks, and bringing Hachette into the fold reaffirms the important role that libraries play in connecting readers with books and authors.”
◇2012 eBook Sales Increased by 66% in the UK
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/ebook-sales-increased-by-66-in-the-uk
(MAY 01, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
2012 saw the rise of the digital book and the entire book industry in the United Kingdom is growing. Total digital sales increased by over 66% to £411 million, meanwhile total fiction digital sales up 149% to over £172 million.
Richard Mollet, chief executive at the Publishers’ Association mentioned that schools and education are seeing the largest growth, but still don’t account for very much. “It’s still early days with schools, but their digital sales were up 50%, although only 4% of the total market,” he said. “In academic, digital sales were up 23% to 16% of the total market, and the overall market was just over £1bn, up 0.5% on the previous year. Because we’re such a diverse sector, there are a lot of areas where things can go right to give us the same performance next year. The underlying trend with digital innovation shows we are set fair to perform well, and if the wider economic performance improves in the coming year, that will help.”
One of the big reasons why digital soared to such great heights was the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. Many people ended up buying e-readers with promotions that gave them the entire series loaded on their device and carried an anonymity factor. Publishers will have to innovate in new technologies in order to facilitate further growth.
Another big reasons digital caught on in a big way was because both Barnes and Noble and Amazon entered the market and offered their entire line of hardware and ebook distribution systems. This gave the devices more retail visibility, and as the companies battled each other for market share, it lowered the entry level prices.
Over 2,115 book publishers registered for VAT in 2012, which shows that the UK digital scene is vibrant with new players displacing the ones that go out of business. The entire UK book industry saw a modest 4% growth in both digital and tangible.
◇Authors Suing Penguin’s Self-Publishing Platform
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/authors-suing-penguins-self-publishing-platform
(MAY 01, 2013 By Mercy Pilkington Good E-Reader)
As if Penguin’s legal battles in the Department of Justice anti-trust lawsuit involving several major publishing houses and Apple wasn’t bothersome enough, a whole new litigation has cropped up. Three self-published authors are suing the publisher over the business practices of its self-publishing platform Author Solutions.
According to an article in Courthouse News Service, Kelvin James, Jodi Foster and Terry Hardy are suing the platform and its parent company for profiting from errors that it made to authors’ manuscripts during the upload process. They allege that Author Solutions’ team makes errors during the publishing process then charges authors sometimes hundreds of dollars to correct those mistakes.
The complaint filed on behalf of the plaintiffs states: “Most of Author Solutions’ earnings are derived from its publishing and marketing services. These services, which can cost authors tens of thousands of dollars, likewise fail to deliver what they promise: more book sales and more opportunities for authors.
“Therefore, even while Defendant Author Solutions prominently markets itself on its website as ‘[t]he leading indie publishing company in the world,’ authors often discover, once it is too late, that Author Solutions it is not an ‘indie publisher’ at all. It is a printing service that fails to maintain even the most rudimentary standards of book publishing, profiting not for its authors but from them.”
A federal class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of residents in California and New York who sought Author Solutions’ services for self-publishing, and is seeking $5 million in damages.
□2013年4月
◇Erfahrungen einer Holtzbrinck-Tochter ohne DRM
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/verlage/verlage_nachricht/datum/2013/04/30/keinen-erkennbaren-anstieg-der-piraterie.htm
(30. April 2013 (08:08 Uhr) buchreport)
Im April 2012 verabschiedete sich das Science-Fiction-/Fantasy- sowie Thriller-Imprint Tor/Forge von hartem Kopierschutz. Ein Jahr spater bilanziert die in Grosbritannien und den USA aktive Macmillan-Tochter (gehort zu Holtzbrinck) den Verzicht auf DRM.
Ruckblick: Verleger Tom Doherty hatte vor einem Jahr angekundigt, die gesamte Backlist sowie alle Novitaten ab Juli 2012 ohne DRM anbieten zu wollen. Begrundung: ?Unsere Autoren und Leser haben sich dies seit langer Zeit gewunscht.“ Dies sei eine technologisch versierte Gruppe, ?und DRM nervt sie permanent. Das hindert sie daran, legal gekaufte E-Books vernunftig zu nutzen, etwa sie von einem auf das andere Gerat zu ubertragen.“ Im Interview mit buchreport fuhrte der Verleger seine Argumente im Sommer 2012 aus.
Nach der aktuellen Einschatzung von Doherty hat es keinen erkennbaren Anstieg der Piraterie bei den DRM-freien Titeln innerhalb des einen Jahres gegeben. Die Leser und Autoren hatten zudem euphorisch auf die Nachricht zum DRM-Verzicht reagiert. So etwa der Autor Kay Kristoff (?Stormdancer“), der den Schritt ?visionar“ und ?dramatisch“ zugleich genannt habe ? ein ?Sieg fur den Verbraucher“ und Tag zum Anstreichen im Kalender der Geschichte des Verlagswesens.
Im Tor-Blog verweist der Verleger auserdem auf einen der wesentlichen Einwande gegen den Verzicht auf DRM: den Schutz des Urheberrechts. Und halt dagegen, dass auch Titel mit DRM-Schutz illegal verbreitet wurden, ?auserdem glauben wir, dass die grose Mehrheit der Leser genauso gegen Piraterie ist wie Verleger, weil sie erkennen, dass Piraterie das Einkommen des Autors aus seiner kreativen Arbeit beschrankt“.
Dohertys Einschatzungen decken sich mit den Ausfuhrungen von Charlie Redmayne, Chef der Harry Potter-Community (mit angeschlossenem E-Book-Shop) Pottermore. Der Verzicht auf den harten Kopierschutz habe nicht die Piraterie verstarkt, erklarte Redmayne im Video-Interview mit buchreport.de.
Auch hierzulande bleibt der Verzicht auf DRM ein groses Thema. Auf der TOC buchreport sprach sich die auf dem E-Book-Markt erfahrene Beraterin Nina Kreutzfeldt massiv dagegen aus:
Und selbst im Buchhandel herrscht teilweise eine Anti-DRM-Stimmung. So etwa bei Susanne Martin (Schiller Buchhandlung, Stuttgart), die im Gesprach mit buchreport erklarte, dass der Wegfall des harten Kopierschutzes eine Voraussetzung dafur sei, dass das Sortiment im E-Book-Geschaft mithalten konne. Auch der Berliner Versandbuchhandler Rene Kohl (Kohlibri) hat den harten Kopierschutz im buchreport-Interview kritisiert: ?Die Rechterestriktion starkt Amazon, schwacht alle ubrigen Marktteilnehmer und macht kundengerechte E-Book-Losungen im Grunde unmoglich.“
◇Austrian National Library Releases 100,000 Full Text Books Online, Digitization by Google
http://www.infodocket.com/2013/04/30/austrian-national-library-releases-100000-full-text-books-online-digitization-by-google/
(April 30, 2013 by Gary Price, LJ INFOdocket)
The just released collection from the Austrian National Library (Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek) consists of 100,000 books that were digitized by Google.
All books were published from the 16th Century through the second half of the 19th Century.
These books are part of the Austrian Books Online project that plans to to digitize a total of 600,000 titles (more than 200,000 million pages).
The Austrian National Library/Google partnership was first announced on June 16, 2010.
Digitized books can be accessed via the library’s online catalog and can be viewed online. Pages can also be easily shared on Facebook and Twitter.
◇Book Expo America Keynote ? The Future of the Book
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/book-expo-america-keynote-the-future-of-the-book
(APR 30, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
The entire publishing industry is undergoing a paradigm shift, as all players are trying to adjust to an ever shifting landscape. Next month at Book Expo America there will be a major keynote session that will seek to address what the future of the book is.
Ingram Content Group Chair and CEO John Ingram will moderate the panel of four industry leaders: ABA Vice President Steve Bercu, co-owner of Austin, Texas’ BookPeople; Jane Friedman, CEO and cofounder of Open Road Integrated Media; Barbara Marcus, president and publisher of Random House Children’s Book; and Michael Pietsch, CEO of Hachette Book Group. The discussion will focus on how the shift from print to digital has altered the way books are acquired, developed, distributed, sold, and read. This is a must attend session for any publisher involved in conventional publishing and wants insight on the digital realm.
“Shaping the Future of the Book” is open to all BEA registrants. The event will be held on Wednesday, May 29th, from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm, in rooms 1E14 ? 1E16 at the Javits Convention Center.
◇Googleへの各国政府からのコンテンツ削除要請は増加傾向、透明性レポート公表
http://internet.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20130426_597747.html?ref=rss
(2013/4/26 18:58 三柳 英樹 INTERNET Watch)
米Googleは25日、各国政府から寄せられた要請に関する情報を公開するサイト「Transparency Report(透明性レポート)」で、2012年下半期(7月〜12月)のコンテンツ削除要請についてのデータを公開した。
2012年下半期に各国政府から寄せられたコンテンツ削除要請は2285件で、計2万4179件のコンテンツを削除。件数は増加傾向にあり、各国政府がGoogleのサービス上のコンテンツを検閲しようとする範囲が広がり、政府当局者や関係者を批判するブログ投稿の削除を求める裁判所の命令も複数の国から寄せられたとしている。
期間中に削除要請件数が最も増えた国はブラジルで、秋に行われた選挙に関連する要請がほとんどを占めている。次に要請件数が増えたのはロシアで、新法が制定されたことで要請が増加したという。また、映画「Innocence of Muslims」のクリップを含むYouTube動画に対しては20カ国からの要請があり、YouTubeのコミュニティガイドラインには反していないものの、現地の法律などに基づき一部の国で視聴を制限したとしている。
◎Google公式ブログの該当記事(英文) http://googleblog.blogspot.jp/2013/04/transparency-report-more-government.html
◎Google 透明性レポート http://www.google.com/transparencyreport/
◇Amazon Kindle Lending Library Surpasses 300,000 titles
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/amazon-kindle-lending-library-surpasses-300000-titles
(APR 26, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
The Amazon Kindle Lending Library has just surpassed 300,000 titles, according to the company’s Q1 Financial Report. The service is an integral part of Amazon Prime, which allows users to borrow one ebook a month for free.
The Amazon Lending Library burst onto the scene in early 2011 and launched with a paltry 5,000 titles. Since then, it has grown as many self-published authors and mainstream publishers have contributed their works. You can find the entire Hunger Games and Harry Potter books available on this platform.
One of the benefits that the Lending Library provides is the extra revenue authors receive when their books are borrowed out for free. Unlike traditional libraries, Amazon has a pool of money that it distributes to authors every month. Whenever a book is borrowed, authors receive royalties. We have heard in many cases that authors make more money giving their book away for free, than they do selling it for .99. It also hooks readers on a series of books, and customers are more likely to purchase the next books in a trilogy than wait a whole month to borrow the next book for free.
◇Bucher-Pirat Spiegelbest veroffentlicht Downloadzahlen
http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/nachrichten_detail/datum/2013/04/26/800000-downloads-im-monat.htm
(26. April 2013 (09:59 Uhr) buchreport)
Punktlich zum Tag des Urheberrechts am 23. April hat mit Spiegelbest einer der womoglich grosten Bucher-Piraten in Deutschland Zugriffs- und Download-Statistik seines Portals veroffentlicht. Der Blick auf die Zahlen und auf das Titelangebot ist fur Verlage und Autoren erschreckend.
Nach eigenen Angaben verzeichnete Spiegelbest auf seinem E-Book-Piraterie-Portal b***.to allein im Marz 2013 uber 4 Mio Zugriffe. Die Zugriffe auf seine E-Book-Plattform sind seit Januar (868.990 Zugriffe) deutlich gestiegen. Fur den April rechnet der Bucher-Pirat bereits mit uber 5 Mio Zugriffen.
Interessanter als die Zugriffszahl ist fur die Verlage die Hohe der Downloads als Beleg dafur, wie viele Titel tatsachlich heruntergeladen wurden: Im Marz verzeichnete Spiegelbest nach eigenen Angaben 703.530 E-Downloads. Insgesamt wurden von Dezember 2012 bis April 2013 rund 2 Mio Titel heruntergeladen. Die Prognose fur April 2013 liegt bei uber 800.000 Downloads.
Eine Zahl, die besonders im Vergleich mit dem E-Book-Kaufmarkt erschreckend ist. Nach Angaben der GfK hat die Buchbranche im vergangenen Jahr insgesamt 13,2 Mio E-Books verkauft (hier mehr). Rechnet man die Marz-Zahlen von Spiegelbest auf ein Jahr hoch, ergeben das 8 Mio Titel ? ungeachtet der monatlichen Zuwachsraten der Plattform. Auch wenn die Daten nicht direkt vergleichbar sind, zeigen sie doch in welchen Dimensionen sich bereits eine einzelne Piraterie-Plattform bewegt.
In seinem Blog verweist der Bucher-Pirat zwar darauf, dass die meisten auf der Plattform verfugbaren Titel kein Copyright mehr hatten. Ein kurzer Blick auf die Plattform genugt aber, um festzustellen, dass dort zahlreiche urheberrechtlich geschutzte Werke heruntergeladen werden konnen ? von aktuellen Bestsellern, auf die das Portal spezialisiert ist, bis hin zu den Special-Interest-Titeln.
Jagd auf Spiegelbest bislang ohne Erfolg
Auch wenn bereits ein Blog von Spiegelbest geschlossen wurde, konnte das E-Book-Piraterie-Portal von Spiegelbest noch nicht vom Netz genommen werden. Laut Andreas Kaspar von der auf die Bekampfung von Piraterie spezialisierten Agentur CounterFights steht der Server des Portals in der Ukraine.
Die Ermittlungen laufen, nahere Informationen will Kaspar ?aus taktischen Grunden“ nicht herausgegeben. Der Buchpirat finanziere sich durch Spenden, auserdem kassierte er bei Filehostern Geld fur den Upload von E-Books.
Der Borsenverein hat Spiegelbest ebenfalls auf dem Schirm. In der Rechtsabteilung heist es, es habe zahlreiche Anrufe von Verlagen gegeben, die sich besonders uber das offensive Auftreten von Spiegelbest argerten. Spiegelbest veroffentlichte sogar Anfang des Jahres ein Buch bei amazon.de, in dem er sich selbst interviewte (buchreport.de berichtete). Hinzu komme, dass das Portal von Spiegelbest nutzerfreundlich sei ? anders als bei diversen Communities konnen die E-Books ohne Login heruntergeladen werden. Dies schure zusatzlich Befurchtungen, dass mehr und mehr Downloads illegal erfolgten.
Im vergangenen Jahr hatten zwei Verlage Anzeige gegen Unbekannt erstattet, doch die Ermittlungen seien offenbar noch nicht weit. Aktuell sei es nur schwer moglich, zivilrechtlich gegen Spiegelbest vorzugehen, da es keine Hinweise auf dessen Identitat gebe. Umso wichtiger sei die Kooperation des Borsenvereins mit der GVU, die strafrechtlich gegen Piraterie vorgehe (hier mehr) und die Staatsanwaltschaften mit ihrem Knowhow unterstutze.
◇米国の公共図書館を横断検索できる「Digital Public Library of America」β版公開
http://internet.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20130422_596847.html
(2013/4/22 06:00 青木 大我 INTERNET Watch)
米Digital Public Library of America(DPLA)は18日、ウェブサイトのベータ版公開を発表した。
DPLAは米国中の図書館、博物館、アーカイブに保存されている書籍、画像、動画、音などを一括横断検索できるポータルとなる。
米国にはデジタルデータを保管している公共図書館が多数ある。米国議会図書館や日本でもなじみのあるInternet Archiveなどが有名だ。しかしその他にも大学図書館附属のアーカイブなどが分散して存在する。その中には小さいながらも貴重なコレクションがある。DPLAによってこれらすべてを一括横断的に検索できるようになり、歴史的資産を効果的に活用できるようになる。
DPLAは今日の公開時点で約200万アイテムの検索が可能だとしている。今後、米国中の図書館、博物館などとの連携により、検索できる範囲を広げていきたい考えだ。
DPLAでは、各図書館などから寄贈されたメタデータのみを保存し、データ自体は各図書館などが保存している。利用者は検索結果をもとに、保存先図書館のサイトにてデジタルデータを閲覧できることになる。
DPLAではキーワード検索にとどまらず、メタデータによる場所や時間による検索など、強力な検索機能を提供する。さらに、APIを無料で提供するデジタルプラットフォームとしても機能する。現在欧州のデジタル図書館Europeanaと横断検索できるアプリなどが公開されている。今後は一般市民の開発者の参加により、クリエイティブな仕方で米国の歴史に親しんでもらえるようなスマートフォンアプリ開発などに利用してもらいたい考えだ。
DPLAは米国政府や民間財団などによる民間財団などによる資金援助を受けている。本拠地がボストンにあるため、15日に発生した爆弾テロ事件の影響を受け、オープニングセレモニーが影響を受ける結果となってしまった。
◎Digital Public Library of America(英文) http://dp.la/
◇Simon & Schuster Announces New Library Pilot Program for eBooks
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/simon-schuster-announces-new-library-pilot-program-for-ebooks
(APR 15, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
Simon and Schuster is the only major publisher that has never engaged in providing digital content for libraries. Over the course of the last few years, the American Library Association has been meeting with company representatives to try and sway them over. Today, Simon & Shuster announced a one year pilot program for the New York, Brooklyn, and Queens Public Libraries.
The President of the American Library Association, Maureen Sullivan, commented, ““We are pleased Simon & Schuster has recognized the vital roles of libraries in supporting reading in all its formats by announcing a library e-lending pilot in New York City. As we celebrate the 55th annual National Library Week, it is a particularly fortuitous time for the publisher to join its Big Six colleagues by providing access to ebooks through our nation’s libraries. We hope that Simon & Schuster will extend its pilot to libraries beyond New York City in the near future. Books and knowledge?in all their forms?are essential. The ALA and our members welcome new and expanded digital access for all.”
“We have always recognized the important place of libraries in our communities. They play a vital role in fostering and encouraging reading in every strata of our society, and they help to create an audience for our books and authors,” said Carolyn Reidy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Simon & Schuster. “We are delighted to partner with these libraries, which have shown an extraordinary willingness to try innovative models with the potential to be a long-term solution for all involved. In making our full list
available we think we will get a better sense of lending patterns and patron behavior, and I am particularly eager to start seeing the actual data so that we can better understand this still-new phenomenon.”
The 3M Cloud Library System has been earmarked to handle the digital distribution for the New York and Brooklyn Public Libraries, while Baker and Taylor will run their Axis 360 program in Queens. What of Overdrive? The company remains the largest force in the library world when it comes to handling the loaning out of digital books and audiobooks. Publishers don’t like the fact that Overdrive deals with Amazon and allows their books to be borrowed on the entire range of Kindle devices, which is why they missed out on the Penguin trial that was announced last June.
3M is really being put on the map with the last few major business deals they have scored with major publishers. The company got in with Penguin last year and ran its trial in New York, which eventually got expanded and now the publishers titles are available in libraries all over the US. Recently, Penguin announced it will offer its entire line of front-list titles, so libraries can have access to the digital editions, the same day the printed counterparts come out. This is worth noting, because S&S is likely going to follow the same pattern. “These pilot programs are a first step for publishers to engage in the library ebook market,” said Tom Mercer, marketing manger, 3M Cloud Library. “Through collaborations with publishers, 3M has been able to help expand the overall market, bringing more digital titles to libraries.”
When it comes to publishers and libraries, the entire process remains convoluted. They can’t seem to agree on a unified distribution strategy and makes the entire process complicated for librarians. Some offer the ebook at three times the amount the paperback costs, while others impose a 26 checkout limit before you have to buy the ebook again. Can you imagine being a librarian and having to deal with different pricing and distribution methods for every month publisher you deal with? I know most that have given up on digital and just went with normal books, because its simpler.The one cool thing Simon and Schuster is doing is giving the ability for patrons to buy the books. Libraries will earn a small commission whenever someone reads and then buys the book, or decides the waiting list is too long and just makes the purchase.
◇Call for review - public draft of EPUB Indexes
http://idpf.org/news/call-for-review-public-draft-of-epub-indexes
(MARCH 14, 2013 International Digital Publishing Forum)
On March 7, 2013 the IDPF Board of Directors unanimously approved elevation of EPUB Indexes to public draft status. This draft specification, produced by the EPUB Indexes Working Group, defines a consistent way of encoding the structure and content of indexes in EPUB Publications. Reading Systems can exploit this encoding to offer not only the benefits of a print index but also interactive functionality and features not possible in a print book. Comments on the draft specification are solicited through April 15, 2013. IDPF members may submit comments via the EPUB WG mailing list. Members and non-members alike are also welcome to submit comments via email to the working group co-chair.
◇dbsv-direkt Nr. 17-13 Morgen offnet die SightCity 2013 ihre Tore
http://www.dbsv.org/dbsv/aktuelles/alias/article/1760/
(23.04.13 DBSV)
Die SightCity findet dieses Jahr bereits Ende April, aber wie gewohnt im Hotel Sheraton am Frankfurter Flughafen statt. Die europaweit groste Fachmesse fur blinde und sehbehinderte Menschen ist ab morgen bis Freitag fur Besucher geoffnet und prasentiert zum elften Mal Neuerungen in Sachen Hilfsmittel, Medizin und Forschung.
Unter den uber 130 Ausstellern ist die Selbsthilfe mit vielfaltigen Beratungsangeboten fur die mehr als 4.000 erwarteten Besucher vertreten. Direkt am Eingang, im Foyer des Hotel Sheraton, finden sich die Gemeinschaftsstande D16 und D17 des DBSV und des Blinden- und Sehbehindertenbundes in Hessen (BSBH) sowie der Deutschen Blindenstudienanstalt (blista) und des Deutschen Vereins der Blinden und Sehbehinderten in Studium und Beruf (DVBS). Neben praktischer Orientierungshilfe erhalten die Besucher dort unter dem Motto ?Nachgefragt“ firmenunabhangige Informationen zu Hilfsmitteln. Bei rechtlichen Fragen stehen die Mitarbeiter der Rechtsberatungsgesellschaft ?Rechte behinderter Menschen“ (rbm) zur Verfugung. Am Stand des DBSV liegt dieses Jahr auserdem eine kurze Umfrage aus, um den Auftritt des DBSV auf der SightCity kunftig noch besser auf die Bedurfnisse der Besucher ausrichten zu konnen.
Das SightCity-Forum bietet wieder ein umfassendes Vortragsprogramm, bei dem auch die Selbsthilfe mit Beitragen vertreten ist.
Tipps fur das SightCity-Forum:
Mittwoch, 24. April
14.30 bis 15.00 Uhr
-Gemeinsam fur Menschen mit Sehbehinderung ? der Fachausschuss fur die Belange Sehbehinderter (FBS) und seine Aktivitaten“
Referenten: Angelika Ostrowski, Stefanie Holzapfel, DBSV
16.10 bis 16.35 Uhr
-Blickpunkt Auge ? Rat und Hilfe bei Sehverlust: Was kann dieses Angebot Betroffenen sowie Arzten, Optikern und anderen Interessierten bieten?“
Referenten: Juliane Willuhn, Angelika Ostrowski, DBSV
Donnerstag, 25. April
15.50 bis 16.20 Uhr
-Eine bahnbrechende Hilfe fur Sehbehinderte: Tablet-PCs fur Sehbehinderte ? hier mit Apple's iPad“
Referent: Heinz Mehrlich, FBS ? Fachausschuss Belange Sehbehinderter im DBSV
Die Eckdaten in Kurze:
SightCity 2013
24. bis 26. April
Hotel Sheraton, Flughafen Frankfurt am Main
Offnungszeiten: 24./25.4., 10-18 Uhr, 26.4., 10-16 Uhr
Eintritt frei!
www.sightcity.net
Gemeinschaftsstand von DBSV und BSBH: D16
Gemeinschaftsstand von Blista und DVBS: D17
◇IDPF HTML5 & EPUB 3 Seminar: March 25 at Paris Book Fair
http://idpf.org/news/idpf-html5-epub-3-seminar-march-25-at-paris-book-fair
(FEBRUARY 12, 2013 International Digital Publishing Forum)
IDPF is pleased to announce a technical seminar on HTML5, EPUB 3, and digital book production on March 25, 2013 at the Paris Book Fair (Salon du Livre). The day-long program (bi-lingual French/English) will cover the nuts and bolts of HTML5 and EPUB 3 from a publisher's perspective, and provide practical examples of best practices and emerging tools for cost-effectively producing, managing, and distributing digital book content and metadata. Register now and discover the next generation of digital publishing innovation and enhance your network by meeting leading digital experts convened in Paris.
Speakers will include:
Robin BERJON, Editor, HTML5 Specification - W3C
Bill McCOY, Executive Director - International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF)
Luc AUDRAIN, Head of Digitization, Hachette Livre
Bill KASDORF, Vice-President, Apex Covantage
Peter MEYERS, Author and Content Innovator - Semi-Linear
Daniel WECK,Software Architect - DAISY Consortium
Mark BIDE, Executive Director, EDItEUR
Pierre DANET, Chief Digital Technology Officer - Hachette Livre
Alban CERISIER, SNE and Editor, Editions Gallimard
A startup showcase session will also feature emerging innovators and solution providers including 4D Concept, Actialuna, Aquafadas, Archicol, Gutenberg Technologies, IGS-CP/Neolibris, and Publiwide.
This event is produceed by IDPF in collaboration with Reed Expositions and the French Publishers Association (SNE). Register now; IDPF and SNE members receive 20% discount Registration also includes access to Paris Book Fair during March 22-24 2013. Registration website: http://www.salondulivreparis.com/GB/PRO/IDPF-PE.htm .
◇International Publishers Association Endorses EPUB 3 as Global Standard
http://idpf.org/ipa_endorses_epub_3
(MARCH 12, 2013 International Digital Publishing Forum)
The International Publishers Association (IPA) today announced that its Board has endorsed EPUB 3. Jens Bammel, IPA’s Secretary General, said: “Digital publishing is now truly global. IPA strongly urges all publishing industry stakeholders to adopt EPUB 3 so that the publishing industry can achieve an interoperable and fully accessible global standard for e-books and other digital publications." Full text of the release (via Library Journal INFODocket) : http://bit.ly/Wksxzf .
The release noted that: "EPUB 3 is semantically enhanced, reliably navigable, and enables publishers to progress from producing static documents to creating interactive experiences... encoded into a distributable publication file that is interoperable across devices and can adapt smoothly to different sized displays. EPUB 3 ... fulfils the requirements of publishers around the world, including by supporting global language requirements,such as vertical layout, alternative writing, and page progression directions, as well as other typographic capabilities needed to express the wide range of world languages. Furthermore, EPUB 3 can be made fully accessible to print disabled readers."
International Publishers Association (IPA) is a federation of national, regional and specialist publishers' associations. Its membership comprises more than 60 organisations from more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Americas. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, IPA represents the interests of the publishing industry in international fora and wherever publishers' interests are at stake.
◇eBooks Account for 22% of US Publishers Sales in 2012
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/ebooks-account-for-22-of-us-publishers-sales-in-2012
(APR 11, 2013 By Michael Kozlowski Good E-Reader)
The Association of American Publishers has issued a new report that has given us an indication on the growth of ebooks during the last year. In 2012, digital books have accounted for nearly 1/4 of the total books sold. This is a fairly large jump from 2011, when ebooks only had 17% of the entire market and a paltry 3% in 2009.
The entire US book industry is thought to have sold over $27.2 billion dollars worth of books in 2012. This means that electronic books have garnered a respectable $1.25 billion dollars. This report covers not only fiction but also children’s, k12 and religious books.
These figures obviously is not totally indicative of the finalized sales patterns for ebooks, but it is about as close as we can get. American publishers often do not divulge their exact sales figures, because unlike the UK, they are not mandated to do so. Still, you can see the growing trend in ebooks. Currently, major publishers like Penguin are seeing 35% of their entire US bookselling revenue stemming from ebooks.
◇Switching to Android full-time -- an experiment (Marco's accessibility blog)|AccSellクリッピング
http://accsell.net/clipping/switching-to-android-full-time----an-experiment.html
(2013年4月 9日 中根雅文 AccSell)
Mozillaのアクセシビリティー・チームで活動する全盲のQAエンジニア、Marco Zehe氏が、現時点でのiOSとAndroidを、全盲のユーザーの視点で比較した、「Switching to Android full-time -- an experiment (Androidに完全に乗り換えてみる実験)」と題した ブログ記事を、4月5日付けで投稿した。記事では、iPhoneを使ってきたZehe氏が、Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) に完全に乗り換える試みを通して浮かび上がってきた問題などが指摘されている。
Zehe氏は、最初にiOS用スクリーン・リーダーのVoiceOverが搭載されたiPhoneである、iPhone 3G Sが発売された2009年6月より、iPhoneユーザーだったという。Googleも同時期にAndroidのアクセシビリティーに関する取り組みを進めるという方針を打ち出していたが、その当時のAndroidのアクセシビリティー・サポートは、iOSとは比較にならないレベルのものだった。
その後、Android用スクリーン・リーダーのTalkBackがリリースされたが、やはり機能面での不足は否めないものだった。iOSのVoiceOverと比較すると機能面で大幅に劣っていたともいえるAndroidのTalkBackだったが、2011年10月にリリースされたAndroid 4.0では大幅な改善が見られた。さらに、2012年6月にリリースされたAndroid 4.1では、TalkBackが提供するタッチ・スクリーンへのアクセス方法が大きく変更され、iOSのVoiceOverのそれと類似したものになった。
この変更によりiOSからの乗り換えが容易になったと考えられること、AndroidとTalkBackもそれなりに成熟してきているらしいこと、Android版Firefoxにアクセシビリティー機能が搭載されていることなどから、Zehe氏はこの3月に、iPhoneからNexus 4に完全に乗り換えてみる試みをすることにしたという。
この記事では、これまでZehe氏がiPhoneで日常的に行ってきたことを、Nexus 4で同等にできるのか、という視点で比較が行われている。具体的には、ドイツ語と英語を切り替えながらの入力、カメラを使った写真撮影、いくつかの標準搭載およびサードパーティー製のアプリケーション、旅行およびナビゲーション関連、電子書籍などについて、iOSと比較しての分析と感想が記されている。
具体的な問題点については記事を参照していただきたいが、Zehe氏の全体的な結論は、AndroidのTalkBack環境は未だ充分なものではなく、iPhoneを置き換えられるようなレベルには達していないというものだ。挙げられている問題の中には、AndroidそのものやTalkBackの問題といえるものも含まれている一方で、アプリケーションがTalkBack環境を考慮せずに作られていることに起因するものも多く、今後の改善を期待することもできそうだ。また、Zehe氏自身、今後もAndroid環境に注目していきたいとしている。
◇Amazon Introduces Spanish Language eBook Store
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/amazon-introduces-spanish-language-ebook-store
(APR 05, 2012 By Michael Kozlowski, Good E-Reader)
Amazon today unveiled a new Spanish eBook store called “eBooks Kindle en Espanol.” This new version of the website is geared towards U.S. Spanish-speaking customers. There are new extensive help pages, and phone and email customer support in Spanish. U.S. customers can now shop for Spanish-language books in the new store on Amazon.com, or set any Kindle device to access a customized shopping experience designed for books in Spanish.
Not only is the store experience now tailored towards the second most popular language in the US, but it offers close to 30,000 ebooks in Spanish. You can easily shop for best sellers by prominant Spanish authors such as Paulo Coelho and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The store also includes books from Nobel Prize winners Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Camilo Jose Cela, and Mario Vargas Llosa; popular titles from best-selling authors such as Julia Navarro, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and Isabel Allende; over a thousand free classics in Spanish; and exclusive Kindle Singles in Spanish.
The Kindle 4th generation also has the ability in the US to give you a fully localized experience in Spanish and many of the apps on iOS and Android can also be customized.
“We’re excited to introduce Spanish language storefronts on all Kindles, as well as a dedicated store for our Spanish-speaking customers in the U.S.,” said Russ Grandinetti, Vice President, Kindle Content. “We expect our Spanish-speaking customers to enjoy both the newly-added books in Spanish, and the improved shopping and reading experience?including dedicated customer service in Spanish?that we’ve added to eBooks Kindle en Espanol. And we’re looking forward to continued expansion of our store for Spanish language readers around the world.”
◇Quarter of U.S. Buys Ebooks, Number Expected to Nearly Double by 2014, Survey Says
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/quarter-of-u-s-buys-ebooks-number-expected-to-nearly-double-by-2014-survey-says/
(March 14, 2013 Digital Book World)
Just over a quarter of Americans currently buy ebooks and nearly half plan to do so in a year’s time, according to a new survey from free ebook service Bookboon.
According to the survey, conducted in person and over the internet among nearly 6,000 U.S. adults, 27.1% currently buy ebooks and 22.7% expect to within a year, meaning that by 2014 about half of Americans will be buying ebooks.
This survey should be taken with a grain of salt. Bookboon put out a survey in Sept. that claimed that more than half of U.S. students preferred e-textbooks ? however, adoption is incredibly low (about 6%) and other surveys and anecdotal evidence have been in lockstep asserting that students don’t yet prefer digital textbooks.
Bookboon also said in the beginning of 2012 that it intended to take 10% of the U.S. ebook market share by the end of the year and that hasn’t happened yet.
However, this particular survey seems to be in line with other surveys on similar topics:
? On the number of U.S. adults reading ebooks: about a quarter
? On the number of U.S. adults who own e-readers: about one-in-six
? On the number of U.S. adults who own tablets: between a quarter and a third
So, having passed this loose validation scheme, here are some other interesting stats from the report:
? 17.8% of Americans plan on buying an e-reader or a tablet computer or both by 2014
? 57.7% of Americans think that 50% or more of their book reading will be ebooks in three years; among current tablet owners, that number is 71.9% (read: tablet owners see the device as a place to read ebooks)
? 22.2% of Americans don’t plan to start reading ebooks any time in the next three years
◇オランダ王立図書館は著作権保護期間内の雑誌をデジタル化して公開するのにオプトアウト方式を選択(記事紹介)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23091
(2013年3月14日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年2月にオランダ王立図書館(KB)が、1850年から1940年に発行された80タイトルの雑誌をデジタル化し、オンラインで公開しました。その著作権処理について、Joris Pekel氏がOpenGLAMのブログで紹介しています。
それによると、デジタル化対象の記事のなかには著作権が切れていないものもあったそうです。しかし、著者や遺族をすべて探し出して著作権処理を行うには5年もの時間と多額の費用(それを使えば更なるデジタル化が行える)が必要になると試算されました。そこでKBは、オプトアウト方式を選び、著者や遺族に対して公開に問題があった場合は連絡してほしいと求めることにしたそうです。
◎Dutch National Library gives full access to in copyright material(OpenGLAM 2013/3/11付け記事) http://openglam.org/2013/03/11/dutch-national-library-gives-full-access-to-in-copyright-material/
◎Tijdschriften 1850 - 1940 http://tijdschriften.kb.nl/
◇ebrary Launches International eBook Lending in Germany
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/ebrary-launches-international-ebook-lending-in-germany
(MAR 14, 2013 By Mercy Pilkington Good E-Reader)
ebrary, a ProQuest company that specializes in providing streamlined digital content to libraries, announced this week that it is now partnering with academic libraries to provide German-language ebooks for lending. Launched at Bibliothekartag, this represents a significant expansion of its database and its subscription model by including almost 5,000 titles from publishers such as De Gruyter, Aarhus University Press, International Monetary Fund, Ohne Verlag, and Frank & Timme GmbH.
“With the growing demand for digital content, we are committed to offering content in multiple languages,” said Leslie Lees, vice president of content development for ebrary, in a press release. “Deutsche Sammlung is another step forward in this goal and offers libraries and researchers access to a multi-disciplinary German-language collection that they can combine with Academic Complete, one of the most comprehensive scholarly collections of e-books available.”
One of the benefits to libraries that comes from using a subscription model, at least at the onset of ebook lending, is it allows them to track patron usage, user interest, and overall lending data so that they can do a better job of applying their budgets to digital content. The data from a subscription such as this lets them examine where the best applications of future budget dollars can be placed.
While the EU continues to do battle over the artificially high VAT (value added tax) rate on ebooks, Europe stands to be the first proving ground for ebook lending. Slow to gain ground in the US due to ongoing conflict between the libraries and the publishers over compensation, ebook lending in Europe would be one way for readers to continue consuming high volumes of digital material?academic texts or popular?as a way to avoid the VAT issue. ebrary is currently working with academic libraries in Germany, but the popularity of ebook lending in the current climate of VAT can easily spark the crossover to public libraries. Once the lending model takes off for EU consumers, hopefully the US will follow suit for its libraries.
◇フランスにおける障害者向け電子書籍等提供プロジェクト(記事紹介)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23085
(2013年3月14日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年3月13日、フランス国立図書館(BNF)ラボがブログで、“Accessibilite : Panorama de l’offre de livres numeriques”という記事を掲載しています。記事では、フランスにおける障害者向けの電子書籍提供プロジェクトを6点紹介しています。
◎Accessibilite : Panorama de l’offre de livres numeriques (Le Blog du LABO BnF 2013/3/13付けの記事) http://labobnf.blogspot.jp/2013/03/accessibilite-panorama-de-loffre-de.html
◇PWYW電子書籍販売サイト「言い値書店」、作家から要望を受けブログパーツ作成機能を追加
http://hon.jp/news/1.0/0/4206/
(2013-03-14 07:48:51 hon.jp Day Watch)
フリープログラマーのfujinyo氏は3月13日、1月30日にオープンしたばかりの日本初の“言い値”モデル(Pay what you want、略称:PWYW Model)電子書籍販売サイト「言い値書店」の機能アップグレードを実施し、無料のブログパーツ出力機能を追加した。
なお、弊社hon.jpのシステム部でも、同サイト上でEPUB電子書籍「個人作家のためのPWYWモデル入門〜“電子”書籍という呼び方がなぜ本質的に正しいのか〜」を公開実験中なので(今週末にコンテンツ更新予定)、さっそく上記のとおり貼り付けてみた。
作家だけでなく、ファン読者も自由に貼り付けることが可能だ。【hon.jp】
◎言い値書店の告知( http://www.iineshoten.com/blog/blog-parts/ )
◇Txtr Launches Windows 8 Reading App
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/txtr-windows-8-reading-app/
(March 13, 2013 Digital Book World)
txtr launches multi-language Windows 8 eReading app with Adobe DRM for international markets
◎Read your eBooks on txtr across all leading platforms
txtr, the first company to launch an Adobe DRM based iOS and Android reading app, releases this week a multi-language Windows 8 reading app with Adobe DRM support for international markets. The application allows users in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian to access their personal cloud library, to read ePub or PDF eBooks on Windows 8 tablets and PCs or visit one of the 17 local eBook stores that txtr operates under its own brand nowadays. In less than two months from now, txtr will add Dutch, Polish and Danish as additional languages for the app. The app seamlessly connects with the txtr cloud reading platform where it syncs books and bookmarks.
Recently, txtr passed the important milestone of 1,000,000 users on its multi-country, multi-language eReading platform. These users can now also buy books from the largest multi-lingual eBook catalogue available, across 17 countries in the world, when using the Windows 8 OS on tablets or PCs. At the same time, txtr has updated its reading apps for Windows 7 and MAC. With these additions, txtr leads the pack when it comes to OS platform compatibility across Europe.
The new txtr Windows 8 app, now available free of charge in the Windows Store and on www.txtr.com, allows readers to log in with their Facebook account or their personal email address and immediately access their personal library. The app features recommended titles in two channels: ‘Most Popular’ and ‘New Releases’. Although it supports Adobe DRM, users of the app do not have to register separately at Adobe, as all txtr apps support Vendor ID. The Windows 8 app is being preloaded on, or listed in the OEM Picks or Store section in Windows 8 on many tablets and PCs from numerous hardware manufacturers*. At the moment, txtr partners with 7 of the 10 leading device makers.
To cater to the 40% of readers** who still read on their computers (PC & MAC) or laptops, txtr also released new versions of its apps for Windows 7 and the MAC. The txtr apps allow users to personalize the reading experience in terms of font size, margins, brightness and background colours. Books, bookmarks and reading position are automatically synched across all devices through the txtr cloud. Reading in flight mode is also possible.
“By offering apps for all the leading operating systems available today, we do not limit the reading pleasure to just a single device”, says Ulf Stahrenberg, VP Product and Project Management at txtr. “We have focused last year on building great apps whilst we grew our multi-lingual catalogue to over 800,000 eBook titles. This excludes the countless number of free eBooks that our users have access to.”
The company is now increasingly concentrating on its direct-to-consumer commercial activities under the txtr brand, supported by the txtr beagle companion reader. “Our operator strategy remains unchanged and talks with partners regarding the beagle are progressing with full satisfaction and per plan,” adds Thomas Leliveld, Chief Commercial Officer at txtr. “Partnership deals are expected to be announced soon. In line with earlier statements, txtr will offer a limited number of beagles to consumers directly in Germany and the US in April to satisfy the growing demand from people who signed up to the beagle newsletter and don’t want to wait.”
txtr is a Berlin-based company providing global but locally relevant cloud-based eReading solutions on smartphones, tablets, eReaders, PCs and the web. txtr operates over 50 different eBook stores for leading retailers and device makers. txtr’s technology also powers the 3M Cloud Library eBook lending solutions for numerous libraries in the United States.
Over the past 12 months, txtr has been growing its sales, its geographical presence, its customer base, its user base and its eBook catalogue and the number of publisher relationships. txtr.com is available in 17 markets as of today, each with local content, local eBooks in PDF and ePub. The platform is Adobe certified to secure the digital rights of the original content owners, but the platform also supports digital watermarking (social DRM) where preferred.
◇国際出版連合(IPA)がEPUB 3を国際標準として支持
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23079
(2013年3月13日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
INFOdocketの2013年3月12日付け記事によると、国際出版連合(International Publishers Assocation:IPA)が、電子書籍フォーマットEPUB 3を国際的な標準として支持する旨のプレスリリースを出した模様です。プレスリリースでIPAは、出版社や各国の出版社協会に対してEPUB 3に精通し、その機能を最大限活用できるようになることを推奨しています。
◎International Publishers Association Endorses EPUB 3 as Global Standard(DAISY Consortium 2013/3/12付けニュース) http://www.daisy.org/news-detail/1236
◎International Publishers Association Endorses EPUB 3 as Global Standard(International Digital Publishing Forum 2013/3/12付け情報) http://idpf.org/ipa_endorses_epub_3
◎International Publishers Association (IPA) http://www.internationalpublishers.org/
◇エストニアの視覚障害者向け録音図書ダウンロードサービス“Veebiraamatukogu”
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23081
(2013年3月13日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
エストニアには視覚障害者等が録音図書をダウンロードやストリーミングして聞くことのできる“Veebiraamatukogu”というウェブサービスがあるそうです。
これは、エストニア視覚障害者図書館(Estonian Library for the Blind)が、エストニア文化省の支援を受け、同国のIT企業Iceit Teenusedと共同で開発したものです。2010年9月に開発が始まり、2010年12月にはテスト版サイトが公開、2011年中の改善を経て、2012年4月2日にサービスが開始されました。2012年10月にはエストニア視覚障害者連盟(Estonian Federation of the Blind)による “Deed of the Year 2012”賞を、2013年2月にはエストニア図書館員協会の“Deed of the Year of Special Library”賞を受賞しています。2013年3月現在では、2,200点近くの録音図書、新聞、雑誌が利用可能で、その言語は、エストニア語、ロシア語、フィンランド語、英語、ドイツ語、アイスランド語に渡っているそうです。
Veebiraamatukoguの利用には、エストニア視覚障害者図書館への登録が必要ということです。
日本でも同様のサービスとして「サピエ図書館」があります。
◎Veebiraamatukogu http://veebiraamat.like.ee/veebiraamat/
◎Awards to the Estonian Library for the Blind for creating a webbased system for downloading and streaming of audio materials(IFLA 2013/3/12付けニュース) http://www.ifla.org/news/awards-to-the-estonian-library-for-the-blind-for-creating-a-webbased-system-for-downloading-and
◇dbsv-direkt Nr. 11-13 Gesetzentwurf zum E-Government: DBSV fordert Erganzung um Regelungen zur Barrierefreiheit
http://www.dbsv.org/dbsv/aktuelles/alias/article/1715/
(07.03.13 DBSV)
Dem Deutschen Bundestag liegt ein Gesetzentwurf der Bundesregierung zum Thema ?E-Government“ vor (BT-Drs. 17/11473), das die elektronische Kommunikation in nahezu allen Verwaltungsangelegenheiten ermoglichen soll. Obwohl der Deutsche Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband (DBSV) und der Deutsche Verein der Blinden und Sehbehinderten in Studium und Beruf (DVBS) dies langst gefordert haben, enthalt der Text keine Regelungen zur Barrierefreiheit. Der DBSV ruft seine Mitgliedsorganisationen daher dringend auf, politisch Einfluss zu nehmen und ihre Kontakte zu Bundestagsabgeordneten zu nutzen, um eine Korrektur des Gesetzentwurfs zu erwirken.
?Das Gesetzesvorhaben betrifft blinde und sehbehinderte Menschen in besonderer Weise“, so DBSV-Prasidentin Renate Reymann. ?Ohne die erforderlichen Regelungen zur Barrierefreiheit werden sie aber vom E-Government ausgeschlossen. So wie es fur Verwaltungsgebaude gesetzliche Vorschriften gibt, um Rollstuhlfahrern einen barrierefreien Zugang zu ermoglichen, sind fur blinde und sehbehinderte Menschen gesetzliche Regelungen erforderlich, die dazu verpflichten, die elektronische Kommunikation mit der Verwaltung barrierefrei zu gestalten.“
Die erforderlichen Regelungen lassen sich durch eine Erganzung der jeweiligen Gesetzesvorschriften oder eine in das Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz des Bundes aufzunehmende (Querschnitts-) Regelung verwirklichen, die dazu verpflichtet, die elektronische Kommunikation mit der Verwaltung nach Masgabe einer zu erlassenden Rechtsverordnung grundsatzlich barrierefrei zu gestalten. Auserdem sind das De-Mail-Gesetz und das Signaturgesetz um eine Verpflichtung zur Barrierefreiheit von De-Mail und qualifizierter elektronischer Signatur zu erganzen.
Auch die UN-Behindertenrechtskonvention verpflichtet den Gesetzgeber dazu, alle geeigneten Gesetzgebungsmasnahmen zu ergreifen, um Menschen mit Behinderung eine gleichberechtigte Teilhabe am E-Government zu ermoglichen (Art. 4, 9 und 21 UN-BRK). Ein so weitreichendes Vorhaben wie das E-Government-Gesetz darf die berechtigten Belange von Menschen mit Behinderung nicht unberucksichtigt lassen.
Eine ausfuhrliche Stellungnahme von DBSV und DVBS zu dem Gesetzentwurf und ein gemeinsames Schreiben an die Mitglieder des Innenausschusses des Deutschen Bundestages finden Sie im Internet unter www.dbsv.org/infothek/barrierefreiheit/behoerden. Bitte nutzen Sie die Materialien, um so schnell wie moglich politisch aktiv zu werden. Denn in der Sache ist Eile geboten. Die 1. Lesung im Bundestag war bereits am 21. Februar 2013. Die 2. und 3. Lesung werden moglicherweise noch im Marz dieses Jahres stattfinden.
◇Ingram Forms Partnership to Bring E-Textbooks to Students Who Purchase Print Textbooks
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/ingram-forms-partnership-to-bring-e-textbooks-to-students-who-purchase-print-textbooks/
(March 12, 2013 Digital Book World)
Ingram and Taylor & Francis Bring Textbooks to Life with Routledge Interactive
New e-textbook initiative combines print and digital technology to create a new experience in learning
Vital Source Technologies, Inc., Ingram Content Group’s leading e-textbook solution, and Taylor & Francis, a global publisher of quality academic books, journals & online reference content, today announced an innovative product alliance, Routledge Interactive. This collaborative e-textbook initiative gives the education community greater control over their learning experience through media-rich interactive content.
Students who purchase a Routledge Interactive textbook will receive 12-month complimentary access to the e-textbook through the VitalSource BookshelfR platform, the preferred and most used e-textbook delivery platform in higher education today. Each title includes specially-tailored interactive content, ranging from embedded videos to walkthroughs and quizzes to best suit the needs of each textbook. All users will benefit from the portability, search functionality and note-sharing made possible by the Bookshelf platform.
“By providing these enhanced e-textbooks, with interactive content embedded within the text, we are empowering students and educators to more easily access our digital content and create their own personalized learning experience, combining the best of print and digital. This innovation is one of many examples of Routledge responding to the changing needs of the market,” said David Cox, Head of Digital Publishing & Development, Routledge Books.
The VitalSource Bookshelf platform, which fully supports EPUB3, can be accessed online or via download, on a variety of device types including MacR, WindowsR, iPadR, AndroidR, and Kindle FireR.
With Routledge Interactive, Taylor & Francis have developed some of their best textbooks into integrated book and e-textbook packs. The print textbook encourages students and educators to gain more from interactive content like LMS-ready assessments and author videos via the Bookshelf platform.
These e-textbooks were developed using the EPUB3 format standard and Vital Source FLOESM, an interactive learning object publishing platform. The EPUB3 format standard, based on HTML5, supports rich media, interactivity, global languages and enhanced accessibility features in e-textbooks. Using the Vital Source FLOE platform, the team from Routledge created HTML5 learning objects, such as quizzes and assessments, and seamlessly integrated those objects within their e-textbooks. Interactive learning objects created with FLOE are easily embedded throughout e-textbooks and can be set up to report directly to learning management system (LMS) grade books through Vital Source LMS integrations.
“Vital Source is committed to using technology to enhance the way people learn,” said Kent Freeman, Chief Operating Officer, Vital Source Technologies, Inc. “By combining EPUB3 with the tools available from Vital Source, we are bringing interactivity, media support and integration possibilities to e-textbooks. Together with Taylor & Francis, we have created a powerful learning tool.”
Vital Source, is one of Ingram’s fastest growing businesses. With longstanding relationships with more than 300 of the best-known publishers, and with over 2.9 million registered users on 6,000 campuses in 200 countries and territories worldwide, the platform was designed to support learning and built to scale for dramatic growth. Combining the education and technology background of the Vital Source team with the book industry resources and leadership of Ingram, Vital Source is firmly positioned as a market leader in the digital learning space.
◇BYU Peery Entrepreneurship Program and Bookshare Partnership
http://blog.bookshare.org/2013/03/11/byu-peery-entrepreneurship-program-and-bookshare-partnership/
(MARCH 11, 2013 by Alisa Moore Bookshare Blog)
Bookshare has developed innovative technology to make textbooks more accessible to blind and visually impaired students. Before now, blind and visually impaired students missed out on thousands of images in their textbooks. Imagine studying science without being able to see the charts, graphs or diagrams in your textbook! Using a simple on-line tool we call Poet, our volunteers write vital descriptions for textbook images.
On March 4, Brigham Young University students sponsored a competition among campus-based church groups to write image descriptions in textbooks for Bookshare members. Dozens of students participated in the two-hour challenge, writing over 600 descriptions in high school textbooks on subjects ranging from physics and life science to literature and world history. With the great success of this event, we’ll continue reaching out to colleges to host similar “image slam” competitions on their campuses. We also plan to start engaging students in proofreading digital textbooks for their print disabled peers.
This is our third semester partnering with the highly creative and dedicated students at BYU. So far their efforts have generated around 3,000 image descriptions. They also developed a facilitator guidebook with suggestions for starting Bookshare volunteer charters on other campuses. Their outreach efforts and activities include a blub Facebook page, competitions with prizes, promotional and recruitment videos, flyers, and a clever “Prezi”. Students have also expressed an interest developing a local mentoring program for disabled high school students to encourage them to pursue a postsecondary education.
Special thanks to our talented current BYU team (pictured below), Amy Lambert, David Covey, Jared Hawkins, and Seth Jenson!
◇紙の本のないデジタル公共図書館、ロサンゼルスで検討中
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23055
(2013年3月11日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米国ロサンゼルス市議会(City Council)が、コリアタウンにあるロサンゼルス公共図書館のPio Pico分館について、印刷図書に代えて、タブレット端末や電子書籍端末の貸出によるサービスの全面的なデジタル化を検討中と報じられています。なお、紙の本の全くない公共図書館には、テキサス州サンアントニオで設置計画が進められている“BiblioTech”があります。
◎Ktown's Pio Pico Library Could Ditch Books and Go All-Digital (Curbed Los Angeles 2013/3/5付けの記事) http://la.curbed.com/archives/2013/03/ktowns_pio_pico_library_could_ditch_books_and_go_alldigital.php
◎Making LA Public’s Pio Pico Koreatown Branch an All-Digital Library Under Consideration (INFOdocket 2013/3/10付けの記事) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/03/10/making-la-publics-pio-pico-koreatown-branch-an-all-digital-library-under-consideration/
◇米国出版社協会(AAP)等4団体がHathiTrust訴訟に対する意見書を提出
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/23031
(2013年3月6日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
このたび、Authors Guild等によるHathiTrustへの著作権侵害訴訟に関して、4件の意見書(amicus brief)が提出されたようです。意見書を出したのは、米国出版社協会(AAP)、AP通信、米国映画協会(MPAA)、米国ジャーナリスト・作家協会です。なお、先日、原告のAuthors Guildから控訴趣意書(opening brief)が出されています。
◎AAP, MPAA and Others File Amicus Briefs in Authors Guild v. HathiTrust Appeal(LJ INFOdocket 2013/3/5付け記事) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/03/05/aap-mpaa-and-others-file-amicus-briefs-in-authors-guild-v-hathitrust-appeal/
◎Authors Guild Files Opening Brief in HathiTrust Appeal(LJ INFOdocket 2013/2/27付け記事) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/02/27/authors-guild-files-opening-brief-in-hathitrust-appeal/
◎「HathiTrustのデジタル化はフェアユース」 米著作者団体らによる著作権侵害訴訟問題で連邦区裁判所判事が意見書提出 http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22052
◇W3C、先月NYで開催した「電子書籍+オープンWeb」の講演者スライドなど資料ページを公開
http://hon.jp/news/1.0/0/4186/
(2013-03-06 13:32:18 hon.jp Day Watch)
XMLやSVGなどWeb関連技術の規格策定を行なっているWorld Wide Web Consortium(本部:米国マサチューセッツ州、以後:W3C)は今週、先月ニューヨーク市で開催した「電子書籍+オープンWeb」の講演者スライド群を公開した。
初開催となった今回の「eBooks: Great Expectations for Web Standards」ワークショップでは、IDPF/BISGなどから業界関係者たちも参加。現在EPUB制作者が抱える各種問題点を洗い出す2日間となった模様。【hon.jp】
◎W3Cの講演資料一覧ページ( http://www.w3.org/2012/08/electronic-books/agenda.html )
◇After a Roller-Coaster Ride, Ebook Prices Have Stabilized Somewhat in 2013
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/after-a-roller-coaster-ride-ebook-prices-have-stabilized-somewhat-in-2013/
(March 5, 2013 by Jeremy Greenfield Digital Book World)
Since the summer, ebook price have been on a roller-coaster ride, lurching up and down due to competition between retailers, holiday promotions and, most notably, new contracts between major publishers and ebook retailers precipitated by U.S. Department of Justice actions.
Below is the average price of an ebook that appears on the Digital Book World Ebook Best-Seller List ? the top-25 ebooks sold in any given week*. Take a look:
In the past several months, however, the average price for a best-selling ebook seems to have stabilized somewhat at around $8.00. While the prices have jumped around somewhat, there is a clear trend:
Ebook prices rose in the late summer, fell from the fall through the early winter and have stabilized. But why? We have a few theories. Let’s overlay some events, first:
There are two important trends to consider here when thinking about ebook pricing:
? Discounting of titles from the largest U.S. publishers.
? Holiday season: for ebook discounts and for new device ownership.
Our theories on why ebook prices took the ride they did over these past few months:
1. Ebook prices rose throughout the fall as publishers that still could directly control the prices of their new releases tried to squeeze every last dollar out of relatively high ebook prices. A few hit titles helped keep prices relatively high in aggregate.
2. Prices started to fall as the holiday season approached because of two reasons: First, publishers saw profit in discounting and generating more sales; second, by early Dec., three of the six largest publishers were now being discounted by retailers, meaning that many of the most popular titles were now being sold at the lowest prices the retailers could afford. It wasn’t just HarperCollins anymore.
3. Prices continued to fall following the holidays as millions of people received new e-readers and tablets and wanted to download the popular favorites from earlier in the year and previous years that were now being sold under $10. Most notably for our purposes, The Hunger Games trilogy had a big surge over this period and the three titles were being sold for $5.00, $5.99 and $5.99, respectively. Other old favorites crept onto our list, too.
4. Prices have since stabilized at a low level as retailers and publishers jockey for position among consumers who generally like and want lower ebook prices. We are now seeing some of the largest publishers experiment with discounting even newer titles. This past week, the average price of a best-selling ebook dipped below $8.00, driven mostly by $2.99 and $1.99 big-six titles.
For more on this, continue to follow along with our best-seller list every week.
All data here is provided by Iobyte Solutions.
* I should say here that if you take a different sample, say, the top-100 best-selling ebooks or the top-five, you will get a different graph than the one I presented below. Further, if you look at ALL ebooks, you’ll get a different graph. I take the top-25 because it’s most of the books that people are buying. If the No. 1 ebook in a given week is selling at $9.99, then that’s what a larger number of consumers are paying for their book than the No. 17 ebook selling at $5.99. Another flaw in this is not weighting each of the positions. It would be better, for instance, to know exactly how many copies of each title are sold, multiply that by the price, add up the final dollar amount for the top-25 and then divide by total number of titles sold. That would give us a better idea of what people are spending overall. For now, what I’ve done above is, I think, the among best we can do when thinking about what the average consumer is paying for an ebook today. I’m happy to hear comments, feedback, etc.!
◇「7%が有料での購入」PWYW電子書籍販売サイト「言い値書店」が初のレポート公開
http://hon.jp/news/1.0/0/4182/
(2013-03-05 12:31:56 hon.jp Day Watch)
フリープログラマーのfujinyo氏は3月5日、1月30日にオープンしたばかりの日本初の“言い値”モデル(Pay what you want、略称:PWYW Model)電子書籍販売サイト「言い値書店」の1ヶ月間の販売概観レポートをPDF形式で0円販売スタートした。
PWYWモデルとは、ユーザーが好きな値段で購入できる販売モデルのこと。「言い値書店」では、すでに多数作品が投稿されており、0円から好きな値段で購入できるようになっている。今回公開されたレポートは4ページ程度の定型グラフレポートだが、それによると全作品0円購入できるものの、7%の購入が有料選択だったとのこと。
告知※なお、弊社hon.jpのシステム部でも、同サイト上でEPUB電子書籍「個人作家のためのPWYWモデル入門〜“電子”書籍という呼び方がなぜ本質的に正しいのか〜」を公開実験中です。
◎言い値書店の2月概観レポート( http://www.iineshoten.com/book/49 )
◇How to stop ebook pirates
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/how-to-stop-ebook-pirates/
(March 4, 2013 Beth Bacon Digital Book World)
Most people know that downloading copyrighted information without paying for it is against the law. But millions of people who are otherwise totally law-abiding have at one time or another illegally downloaded a copyrighted digital file.
◎Many otherwise honest people have illegally downloaded ebooks.
How serious is this problem for digital books? A 2011 Digital Entertainment Survey stated that 29% of e-reader owners admitted piracy and 36% of tablet owners admit to illegal ebook downloads. Another research firm, Attributor, reports that ebook piracy is on the rise.
One of the problems with this issue is that honest people don’t equate downloading ebooks with “stealing.” The situation is reflected in the vocabulary we use. People have many names for the practice of accessing copyrighted information without an exchange of money. Each term carries with it a different level of severity, but they’re all the same thing:
Illegal downloads ? sounds like what kids do all the time
Copyright infringement ? sounds technical
Unlawful content sharing ? sounds bad, but sort of friendly
Online piracy ? sounds like a real crime
A new way to fight ebook piracy
The Center for Copyright Information is an organization that focuses on educating consumers about online piracy. This group recently established The Copyright Alert System. It’s a program that intends to get otherwise honest people to stop downloading digital books without proper payment. Here’s how it works.
◎Policing
Copyright owners, including publishers, movie makers, and music producers, join together with peer-to-peer networks and monitor downloading behavior. The content owners then confirm that files have not been properly paid for and identify the Internet Protocol (IP) address where the files went. The content owners then communicate with the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that serve those IP addresses. These companies AT&T, Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon. The ISP sends a Copyright Alert to the owner of that internet address.
◎Awareness
These Copyright Alerts are basically email messages designed make account holders aware that the ISP knows that their account has been used for “unlawful sharing. ” The ISP let the account owner know how to prevent this from happening again by directing them to legal download venues.
◎Consequences
If illegal downloads continue to that Internet address, the ISP can take actions designed to encourage this behavior to stop. Consequences can include reduction of internet speed, downgrade of internet service, automatic redirection to web site landing pages with anti-piracy messages, and online copyright education training.
◎Will it work?
Does the Alert system have teeth? Certainly the messages will be a deterrent to those who want to do right. And certainly they’ll work for people who are unaware that the book they just downloaded was done so illegally. But real book pirates will probably scoff at the Copyright Alert warnings.
◇Macmillan Titles Available for Lending through 3M Cloud Library
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/macmillan-titles-available-for-lending-through-3m-cloud-library
(MAR 01, 2013 By Mercy Pilkington Good E-Reader)
Some of the issues that plague both the publishers and the libraries when it comes to ebook lending are slowly beginning to resolve themselves. As publishers become accustomed to the process and build confidence in the protection of their authors’ works, librarians are excited about the opportunity to offer a growing number of digital titles to their patrons.
3M Library System announced today that it has added 1200 titles from Macmillan’s Minotaur Books imprint to its Cloud Library eBook Lending Service. This is part of Macmillan’s pilot program to allow libraries to access its titles.
“Macmillan’s Minotaur Books imprint has a rich backlist built on best-selling mystery and crime series by the likes of M.C. Beaton, Nevada Barr, and Laurie King,” said Heather McCormack, collection development manager, in a press release. “The pilot offers access to these brand names and more, with the benefit of insight on what has performed best in the consumer market and what will generate the most circulation for Cloud libraries… Macmillan can benefit from our community of engaged collection development librarians who talk up great books ? old and new ? across social networks.”
While different publishers have had to create their own terms for lending their digital titles, Macmillan’s pilot program allows libraries to purchase the title for 52 checkouts or two years, whichever comes first. All of the titles that they have listed in this program will sell to libraries for $25 each.
◇情報社会において図書館が果たす役割とは? IFLAがリソースページを開設
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22999
(2013年3月1日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年3月1日、国際図書館連盟(IFLA)が、“IFLA and the Information Society”というウェブページを開設しました。情報社会において図書館が果たす役割をテーマに、それに関連した資料をまとめたものです。またこれに加えて、2013年版に改訂した、インターネットガバナンスに関するIFLAの立場を表明した文書を公開しています。
◎IFLA and the Information Society http://www.ifla.org/information-society
◎Statement on Internet Governance http://www.ifla.org/node/7515
◎Just launched: New webpages on IFLA and the Information Society (IFLA 2013/3/1付けの記事) http://www.ifla.org/news/just-launched-new-webpages-on-ifla-and-the-information-society
2.1 民間企業等様々な組織との協働で進める資料のオンライン提供サービス
引き続く緊縮財政政策のもとで、大英図書館も例外なく大幅な予算削減を要求されている。2014年度末までに、設備投資の50%を削減するという目標を達成するためには、少ない予算の中でデジタル化作業を進める事が求められている。そのため、多くのデジタル化事業は民間企業との協働で実施され、外部から事業毎に資金を調達している。
例えば、インターネット通販企業であるAmazonとは、19世紀の著作権切れした6万5千タイトルをデジタル化し、AmazonのオンデマンドプリントサービスであるCreateSpace経由でAmazon Kindleから無料閲覧できるようにする事業を実施している。また、ソフトウェア企業であるGoogleとは、2011年6月から5年事業の契約で、著作権切れの25万冊に及ぶコレクションのデジタル化作業を実施している。これは4000万ページに相当する量で、大英図書館がデジタル化する資料を選択し、実際のデジタル化作業をGoogleの費用負担で実施する。デジタル化対象となるコレクションは、様々な欧州言語で書かれた、1700年から1870年に出版された書籍・雑誌・パンフレット等で、特にオンラインで入手しづらい書籍を優先的にデジタル化する予定である。デジタル化された書籍は、「Google Books」と大英図書館のWebサイトを通じて検索利用が可能となる。
2012年8月には、大英図書館と歴史的資料のデジタル化を進める米国企業であるBiblio Labs(注3)は、同図書館が所蔵する歴史的資料の中でも利用要求の非常に高い19世紀の著明な選集をデジタル化した。デジタル化された資料は、iPadの無料アプリ「BiblioBoard[英語サイト]」で閲覧でき、資料のアクセス性を高めることに貢献している。今回、列車コレクションの「The History and Pleasures of Railroading」、航海の冒険コレクションの「A Historical Collection of Maritime Life」と居城コレクションの「選集」が無料で公開された他、有料で幽霊と精霊コレクションの「The Supernatural in Fact and Fiction」、米国南北戦争コレクションの「選集」と旅行コレクションの「An Anthology of Women’s Travel」が公開されている。
注3:Biblio Labs[英語サイト]は、ソフトウェアエンジニア、歴史家、編集者やマーケティング専門家等異分野の人材を集め、歴史的資料の新たなアクセス形態と新たな利用者を開拓している米国企業。同企業は利益をあげ急成長(3年間の成長率1,111%)を遂げている。
また、厳選された5万点の音声資料をデジタル化し、2012年1月よりオンラインで提供している(図1参照)。クラシック音楽、公演記録や歴史的演説を公開した他、地図をインデックスに音声記録を提供する「音の地図(Sound Maps)[英語サイト]」コレクションもある。例えば、地図から検索できるのは、英国各地の「音の風景(Soundscape)」、BBC放送記録や言語調査等のコレクションから英国各地の異なるアクセントや方言を集めた音声記録(図2参照)、口述歴史コレクションから集めたホロコースト生存者の語り、英国伝統音楽やインド音楽コレクション等がある。また、音声の収集ではスマートフォン用のアプリを利用したデジタル音声の収集も実施している。2010年から2011年にかけて「Audioboo」という音声シェアができるアプリを使い、住民により各地で記録された約2000件の日常の音が「英国音の地図(UK Soundmap)[英語サイト]」に記録保存されている。同記録の収集は、ラフバラ大学、シェフィールド大学をコーディネータとする未来の音の風景に対する学際的研究意図から設立された組織であるNoise Future Networkと協力し、実施されたものである。
図1:英国の音の図書館 出典:大英図書館サイト[英語サイト]
図2:音の地図コレクション(アクセントと方言) 出典:大英図書館サイト[英語サイト]
*Berliner Lautarchiv録音とは、1915年から1938年にドイツの音声パイオニアWilhelm Doegenにより収集された音声コレクションの一部。
パブリック・プライベート・パートナーシップ(注4)イニシアティブ事業の最初の成果では、新聞資料のデジタル化作業が、2011年11月、「British Newspaper Archive[英語サイト]」サイトの公開にこぎつけている。これは、1995年スコットランドで起業されたオンラインサービスプロバイダーであるBrightsolidと結ばれた10年契約事業で、最終的に4000万ページを超える新聞資料コレクションがオンラインで閲覧可能となる。現在、「British Newspaper Archive」は600万ページを超える新聞が検索可能であり、利用者登録すれば無料で3ページまで試読可能。デジタル化作業完成の暁には英国最大のオンラインリソースになる予定である。
注4:Public-Private Partnership(PPP=官民パートナーシップ)とは、民間の資金やノウハウを活用して公共サービスを充実させていく1つの手法。財政負担を削減し小さな政府を志向しながら、同時に民間部門に新たなビジネスチャンスを提供することを目的に実施されるもの。
図3:British Newspaper Archiveサイト 出典:大英図書館サイト[英語サイト]
3.国立公文書館のデジタル化
国立公文書館では、10年ほど前から民間企業と連携し資料のデジタル化とオンラインサービスの開発に努めてきた。これまで8千万件を超える歴史的記録資料のデジタル化を完了しオンラインで公開している。2011年度のダウンロード実績は、約1億3千万件であった。同館の保有する資料は歴史的資料から現在の行政資料、紙媒体やデジタルファイルあるいは地図等の画像ファイルなど、ジャンル及び形態ともに多岐にわたっており、その検索は一程の知識が要求され通常職員のアシスタント無しでは検索できない状況が存在していた。2011年度にはこれを解決すべく、「Discovery」という新しいカタログ検索システムを導入している。「Discovery」は初心者から経験者まで幅広い利用者の使い勝手を向上させるものとして今後同館の主要なカタログ検索システムとなる。
現在、同館が保有していた記録資料のうちデジタル化された資料は5%程度である。これらのデジタル化されたコレクションは、国立公文書館がオンラインで提供しているものと、ライセンス契約により民間企業のサイトから提供されているものがある。同館が直接提供しているオンライン記録には、第一次世界大戦中の看護記録、空軍省のオペレーション記録、20世紀の政治記録、地図、内閣資料や遺言等がある(図4参照)。ライセンス契約により提供されているコレクションは、開発及び運用にかかる投資を民間企業の支出で賄うことができ、限られた予算の中でより多くの保有コレクションをオンライン提供するための有効な方策の一つとなっている。例えば、2011年度は、Ancestry.comとのライセンス契約で鉄道員記録(図5参照)コレクションを、Findmyspot.co.ukとの契約で商船員の記録コレクション(図6参照)をオンラインで公開している。現在、16コレクションがこうしたパートナー企業との契約事業によりオンラインで提供されている。
図4:国立公文書館のオンラインコレクション 出典:国立公文書館サイト[英語サイト]
図5:鉄道員記録コレクション(ライセンス契約) 出典:ancestry.co.ukサイト[英語サイト]
図6:商船員の記録コレクション(ライセンス契約) 出典:findmypast.co.ukサイト[英語サイト]
この他、国立公文書館は公的記録を保存する使命を担っている機関であるが、近年多くの行政資料がデジタル媒体のみで発行されるに従い、こうしたデジタル媒体のみのアーカイブも重要となっている。2005年よりこのような種類の資料の利用サービスを提供しているのが「Electric Records Online[英語サイト]」である。同館では、全てのデジタル媒体資料をオリジナルフォーマットで保存しており、資料提供の際、必要に応じてフォーマット変換(例:PDF等汎用的に利用できるフォーマットへの変換)を施している。
国立公文書館は、自らがデジタル媒体資料の記録保存を実施するだけでなく、時代とともに変遷するフォーマット自身も記録している。デジタル媒体のフォーマットは、目まぐるしく変化するため、フォーマット不明資料のフォーマットを見つけ出すことは困難になりつつある。公文書館は、「PRONOM」という800を越えるデジタル媒体のフォーマットを記録するデータベースを整備し、「DROID(Digital Record Object Identification)」という自動フォーマット判定ソフトウェアを開発する等、デジタル資料の保存を支援する役割を担う。2011年度には、米国のGeorgia Tech Research institute[英語サイト]と協力し認識できるフォーマット数を追加した。
予算削減が継続する中、国立公文書館は、デジタル化作業に必要な資金を外部から調達している。2011年度の例では、コベントリー大学と英国の大手通信事業者であるBritish Telecom(BT)とともにJoint Information Systems Committee (JISC)からおよそ約1億5千万円(1ポンド=147円)の資金を受け取り、BTの160年間余りの歴史を語る50万もの写真や資料のオンライン提供を実現する事業「BT e-Archive 」を手がけている。2013年7月には、同事業の最終報告が行われる予定である。また、19世から20世紀初頭の装飾デザインに関する特許記録のオンライン提供事業に対し、Art and Humanities Research Councilからは、約2000万円の支援を獲得している。
新たな人材を雇用する追加予算の見込めない公文書館は、昨年6月、オンライン法令集「Legislation.gov.uk[英語サイト]」の更新にボランティアを活用すると大胆なアイディアをデジタル戦略で公表した。そもそも、法令集の改正内容を即時に更新し国民に提供することは、政府の責任において実施されるべきものであり、同館の運営する「Legislation.gov.uk」サイトがこの役割を担う。しかしながら、現実は高額な商業サイト(Westlaw UK やLexisNexis等)に頼らなければ法令の最新情報を入手することができず、裁判官もこれら商業サイトを活用している現実がある。国立公文書館が、こうした商業サービスと同等のサービスを実施するには、現在の20人余りの職員を増員する必要があるが職員増は望めない。そこで法令サービス担当のジョン・シェリダン氏はボランティアの活用を提案した。Crowdsourcingといわれるネットワークを介し人を集めて仕事をする方法を取るとし、同氏の試算では、法令の構造を理解できるように特別な訓練を施したIT専門家を外部に50人程そろえれば、法令集をオンタイムで更新できると見込んでいる。この訓練を受ける事は大変魅力的だと受け止められているが、実現可能性には懐疑的な見方が多い。これはWikipedia運営の発想に近い方法であるが、Wikipediaには誤りがあることがあると認識されているし、こうした誤りは誰かが気づいて修正するまでそのまま公開されるという仕組みである。政府が運営するオンライン法令集がこのような質の情報を提供することは許されないと思われるため、こうした課題に対応しながらどのように事業を実施するかが工夫を要するところである。
4.1 大英図書館のWebアーカイブ
大英図書館は、Webアーカイブ貢献組織(注5)の協力を得ながら、Webサイトの収集を2004年から手がけていたが、2010年にWebサイトのアーカイブ「UK Web Archive(UKWA)[英語サイト]」を正式に公開した。通常、貢献組織は6ヶ月毎にWebサイトを収集し、現在、1,1267点のWebサイトの50,832点の事例を収集したコレクション(16.1TB)となっている(UKWA統計)。Webサイトの選択は各組織の資料収集ポリシーに従っているが、誰でもアーカイブに収集するWebサイトを大英図書館に推薦することができる。収集されている全てのWebサイトは、事前にサイト所有者及び関係する著作権所有者から著作権に関する許諾を受けているが、これらの作業は複雑で労を要するため、大英図書館は、Webサイトも納本制度にもとづく出版物の収集と同様、許諾なしで収集できるよう制度改正の必要性を求めている。
注5:Webアーカイブの貢献組織:the National Library of Wales、JISC、The Welcome Library。この他、The Live Art Development Agency、The Society of Friends Library、Women's Library at London Metropolitan University等は「UK Web Archive」の特別コレクション作成に寄与している。また、過去には、国立公文書館や国立スコットランド図書館もWebサイトの収集に協力していた。
Webサイトのアーカイブ化にあたり大英図書館は、サイトに使用されているフォーマットに関する調査を、JISCの助成で実施している。同調査では、まず時間経過とともに利用されるフォーマットやソフトウェアがどのように変化するかみるため、1996年から2010年にかけて25億件のサイトを対象に調査を実施した。その結果、例えば、画像ファイルフォーマットでは、JPEGは常に利用率が高く、PNGやICONは利用される割合が増加傾向にあったが、XBMの利用は減少が著しかった。サイトの記述言語は、調査開始当初の1996年にはHTMLV2.0が約7割を占めていたが、2010年にはXHTML1.0が7割を占めるようになった。15 年程の間にHTMLV2.からV3、V4そしてXHTMLV1へと変化しているが、全く利用されなくなるまでにかかる時間は意外と長く10年程度はかかると分析されている。
4.2 政府情報・公共情報のWebアーカイブ
国立公文書館は、1997年から政府機関の作成するデータセットを収集しアーカイブ化していた。当時収集されたデータセットは、オープンフォーマットであるCSVに変換されロンドン大学のコンピューターセンターにある「the National Digital Archive of Datasets (NDAD)」の中に保存され、NDADサイトからダウンロード利用することができた。その後、政府の透明性や公共情報の公開が進展し、多くの政府情報は各省庁の持つWebサイトから直接提供されるようになってきた。また、政府の情報を横断的に提供するポータルサイト「data.gov.uk[英語サイト]」も登場した。こうした事情の変化に伴い、NDADは2010年に閉鎖され、国立公文書館は「UK Government Web Archive[英語サイト]」(図7参照)を構築し、定期的に中央政府のWebサイトをアーカイブ化している。尚、NDADが保存していた数百あまりのデータセットは、「Discovery」から検索利用できるようになっている。現在、UK Government Web Archiveは、10億点を超えるオンラインドキュメントを保有し、ひと月に1億ヒットがあることもあり、2012年度の総ヒット件数は約6億件である。
図7:UK Government Web Archive 出典:国立公文書館サイト[英語サイト]
昨年、地方政府と国民健康医療システム(National Health Services)のWebサイトを収集しアーカイブ化する事業「Automated Crawl Project」を実施している。第一回は2011年の9月から11月にかけて実施し、6千万近いWebサイトを収集した。二回目の収集は2012年の7月から9月であった。同事業の目的は、歴史的に重要な意味を持つWebサイトの保存だけでなく、アーカイブ化するためのスキルを地方政府にもつけてもらう意味がある他、各省庁の提供する情報がポータルサイト「Data.gov.uk」にリンク付けされているかを確認し、政府の透明性が適格に行われるよう確認する。Webサイトの収集は、低価格で実施できるようかなりの部分が自動化されている。
◇メルマガ第12号を発行しました!|メルマガ更新情報
http://accsell.net/m-magazine/12.html
(2013年2月28日 AccSell)
こんにちは! 「AccSellメールマガジン」第12号が発行されました!
第12号の内容は
[連載] 中根雅文の「全盲のコンピューター利用に関する四方山話」
第12回:点字ディスプレイ
[連載] 植木 真の「JIS X 8341-3:2010 『逆引き』徹底解説」
第11回:JIS X 8341-3:2010 実践 <その3> リスト、その他のセマンティックな要素
[連載]辻 勝利の「Life with 支援技術」
第8回:[緊急企画] 私がであった最初のアクセシブルゲーム
の3本です!
このメルマガの購読には「まぐまぐ」のAccSellメルマガのページからどうぞ
◇本の売り手としての出版社?
http://ebook.itmedia.co.jp/ebook/articles/1302/27/news073.html
(2013年02月27日 14時15分 Mercy Pilkington,Good e-Reader Blog eBook USER)
どのような出版イベントでも、ディスカッションとパネルプレゼンテーションには共通性やテーマが存在する。時にそのテーマは率直でプログラムに印刷されるが、それ以外の場合はイベントを通じての出席者の解説やうわさにすぎないこともある。
今年のTOC(O'Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference)で展示者の間でしばしば取り上げられたトピックの1つが、大手オンライン小売企業との関係を持たず、自社ブランドの電子書籍ストア開設を選択する出版社のコンセプトだ。今年のTOCで展示を行った企業のうち、3社以上があらゆる規模の出版社が自社電子コンテンツを流通させ、自社オンライン電子書籍ストアで販売するのをサポートする事業を行なっている。
Impelsysが保有するiPublishはコンテンツを販売する出版社をサポートするための事業を行なっている企業の1つで、事業の詳細について、iPublishのスポークスマンはGoodEReaderとのインタビューで以下のように語った。
「人々はAmazon、Barnes & Nobleに対して神経質になっており、自社売り上げの半分以上を占める可能性のある企業に自社コンテンツを委ねることを懸念しています。わたしたちが実現したいのは、自社ブランドサイト作成により出版社に電子書籍に関するオプションのコントロールを失わせないこと、われわれのツールと機能を利用してもらうことです」。
流通企業を通してコンテンツを販売する出版社が直面する問題の1つは、読者の顔が見えないことだ。出版社は4半期ごとに販売リポートを受け取っているにすぎない。カスタマイズされた小売Webサイトがあれば、出版社は自社の書籍を購入する顧客について理解し、自社コンテンツを顧客が引き寄せられるものに合わせることができる。
「一部の出版社は自社フランチャイズ書籍向けWebサイトを作成するためにわれわれのサービスを利用しています」。これは人々がそれらのタイトルを知っているので、非常に検索しやすく販売しやすいということを意味する。
Discoverability(発見可能性)は出版社と著者が小売企業を利用しつづけるか、自前でオンライン小売Webサイトを開発するかを決定する上で直面する問題の1つだ。これらの出版社独自のWebサイトの多くは紙書籍の既存販売チャネルにリンクさせることができるが、本のDiscoverabilityは消費者と作家が常に直面する問題となっている。
◇ドイツ政府機関のオープンデータポータルサイト“GovData”が公開
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22977
(2013年2月27日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
ドイツ政府機関のオープンデータポータルサイト“GovData”が公開されました。現在数千のデータセットを搭載しているということです。
◎GovData https://www.govdata.de/
◎German National Data Portal Launched(European Public Sector Information Platform 2013/2/20付けニュース) http://epsiplatform.eu/content/german-national-data-portal-launched
◇IDPF 2013 Focus: EPUB 3 Adoption
http://idpf.org/news/idpf-2013-focus-epub-3-adoption
(FEBRUARY 26, 2013 International Digital Publishing Forum)
Digital publishing has come a long way in the last two years, wtih eBooks now outselling hardcovers. EPUB has been a key standard at the heart of the eBook revolution. EPUB 3, which converges digital publishing with HTML5 and modern Web Standards, and delivers robust accessibility and global language support, is a monumental update to the standard. The roll-out of solutions adopting EPUB 3 continues, with reading systems such as Apple iBooks, Kobo, Google Play Books, and Ingram VitalSource already supporting EPUB 3, and publishers such as Hachette and O'Reilly starting to distribute EPUB 3 content. For 2013, the top priority of the IDPF is to accelerate the continued adoption of EPUB 3 by the industry as a whole, with a particular emphasis on e-textbooks and other publications that are being enabled by the proliferation of tablets and benefit from the new features of EPUB 3 (rich media, interactivity, enhanced styling, fixed layout, mathematics). Work continues to enhance the EPUB standard: member working groups are actively developing new specifications for dictionaries, indexes, and advanced/hybrid layout. But the primary goal of the IDPF during 2013 is very focused: get EPUB 3 broadly and fully adopted. A unified, interoperable global standard for eBooks and other digital publications is critical to the industry and consumers, and the IDPF is fully engaged to deliver on the promise of portable documents for the Open Web Platform by making EPUB 3 happen. Stay tuned for announcements soon of new IDPF initiatives to further that adoption.
◇欧州委員会、電子書籍の付加価値税引き下げに関してフランスとルクセンブルクを提訴へ
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22964
(2013年2月25日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年2月21日付けの欧州委員会(European Commission:EC)の発表によると、ECは、フランスとルクセンブルクが電子書籍についてEUの定めるより低い税率の付加価値税(VAT)を適用している件について、二国を欧州司法裁判所に提訴することを決定したそうです。
◎Taxation: Commission refers France and Luxembourg to the Court of Justice over reduced VAT rates on ebooks(EC 2013/2/21付けプレスリリース) http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-137_en.htm
◎EC confirms crackdown on e-book VAT(The Bookseller 2013/2/21付け記事) http://www.thebookseller.com/news/ec-confirms-crackdown-e-book-vat.html
◎欧州委員会、電子書籍の付加価値税引き上げ要求に応じないフランス・ルクセンブルクを提訴(ITmedia eBook USER 2013/2/22付け記事) http://ebook.itmedia.co.jp/ebook/articles/1302/22/news106.html
◇世界中の国々の発展のために図書館のできることは IFLAがこの課題に関するウェブページを開設
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22925
(2013年2月19日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年1月18日、国際図書館連盟(IFLA)が、図書館が世界中の国々の発展をいかに促進できるかという課題に関するウェブページ“IFLA, Libraries and Development”を立ち上げました。世界中には32万以上の公共図書館が存在し、そのうち23万(73%)が発展途上国にあるそうです。このページでは、公共図書館ができること、IFLAの行っている取組み、発展途上国における公共図書館の取組を紹介する地図など、様々な情報が掲載されています。また、関連する取組を行っているものに、公共図書館を通じた経済・社会的発展を目指すプロジェクト“Beyond Access”や、欧州の国際NGO“Electronic Information for Libraries(EIFL)”があると紹介されています。
◎IFLA, Libraries and Development http://www.ifla.org/ict4d
◎IFLA Launches Webpages on Libraries and Development(IFLA 2013/2/18付けニュース) http://www.ifla.org/news/ifla-launches-webpages-on-libraries-and-development
◇eBook Challenges in Japan
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/ebook-challenges-in-japan
(FEB 18, 2013 By Paul Biba Good E-Reader)
An article in Fortune.com is entitled “Why Japanese readers don’t like ebooks” is a bit silly. It correctly states that ebook adoption in Japan is fairly low, but then it somehow equates the fact that publishers in Japan have produced very few ebooks with the fact that readers aren’t reading ebooks. How can readers read something that doesn’t exist?
The publishing industry in Japan has been long reluctant to jump into ebook production. As the article states: “So far the Japanese have failed to be moved by e-readers from home or abroad, mostly owing to a paucity of content,” says editor and publisher of Japan’s E-book 2.0 magazine Hiroki Kamata. A recent Bowker study, mentioned in the article, does seem to say that many Japanese readers aren’t interested in ebooks, but, again, this makes little sense as Japanese readers have pioneered a new form of digital reading: scanning your own books and reading them digitally. This is so popular in Japan that, as Publishing Perspectives reported, one the the major Japanese scanning companies, Bookscan, has opened a US operation.
Indeed BOOKSCAN’s almost instant success in Japan was a business dream come true, and part of that was due to an influential IT blogger raving about the service on his site, which says Nakano, had a “huge impact.” Soon the firm had a four month backlog of people demanding to use services, and ? perhaps the greatest measure of success ? 100 competitors who had sprung up almost over night, like mushrooms after rain. But while an influential endorsement can create buzz, it doesn’t sustain a business long term.
Also, until the recent adoption EPUB 3, there was no standard software format for reproducing vertical and right-to-left text. This made the production of ebook readers very hard as text rendering would have to be based on proprietary systems. This has led publishers to be extremely reluctant to produce Japanese-language ebooks. There has been a Japanese consortium of publishers trying to promote a standard, but the unattractive financial terms required by the consortium and the fact that it will be non-open ebooks doesn’t give much incentive to adopt it. Now that EPUB 3 is finally here this may make a difference.
Other market forces have caused problems as well. Publishing Perspectives reported on Sony’s failure in this arena: Sony takes the prize for “Squandering a Leading Market Position.” For a couple of years Sony has been the go-to vendor for Japanese consumers interested in a dedicated reader, and its e-book store is perfectly serviceable if not ground-breaking. Sony, though, does little to market their service, has not launched reader apps for mobile devices and has maintained device prices at a level that screams ‘niche’ to potential buyers. ($250 for an entry level Wi-Fi enabled reader? Per-lease). Sony can comfort themselves with their position as technology provider to Pottermore but unless they radically shake up their approach they will be irrelevant in the Japanese e-book market ex-Potter within two years.
Now that we have EPUB 3, and Amazon and Kobo are jumping into Japan, we may see the market start to take off. A year from now we may have some worthwhile market intelligence.
◇Tools of Change ? Booksellers and Change
http://goodereader.com/blog/tools-of-change/tools-of-change-booksellers-and-change
(FEB 14, 2013 By Paul Biba Good E-Reader)
Booksellers represent a combination of the old and the new. ABA is the trade association of the independent bookstores and was founded in 1900. Independent bookselling has changed a lot in 15 years and is seeing a reniassance in the US with an 8% sales growth in 2012 as compared to 2011 (in book unit sales). For most of 2012, we were seeing double digit increases over 2011. For ABA online sales, there was a 28% increase over 2011 and a much greater increase from 2010. Web sales are becoming an important revenue stream for independent booksellers. For the third year in a row ABA membership has grown and more independent bookstores are opening. 43 stores opened in 2012 and one even raised money by crowd-funding site Indiegogo in order to open the store.
One key factor in the increase in sales is that independent bookstores are actively implementing technology. They can offer an online commerce experience through the ABA site, with each company having a fully customizable site. The debate about whether an independent bookstore should be online is long over. ABA partnered with Kobo to offer ebooks, but earlier partnerships, such as that with Google, provided an unsatisfying experience for customers. Through the holiday season, about 400 stores signed up for the Kobo plan. They like the fact that Kobo uses recognized standards and so their readers are not locked into a particular device. Independent bookstores are now outperforming earlier attempts to do this and revenue is increasing. Since the costs of this type of technology has come way down, independent bookstores can now afford to do a lot of stuff they couldn’t before. About 15 ABA stores have print on demand with the Espresso Machine and rather than buying books through the machines it has turned out that the major revenue from the machines comes from the self-publishing business of their customers’ books.
ABA believes that the publishers steps with regard to ebook agency pricing benefited readers and publishers and they feel, despite the DoJ, that agency pricing actually resulted in lower prices. They feel that the DoJ settlement does nothing but increase prices and help give monopoly power to Amazon. The ABA feels that the settlement will be destructive to book selling.
Independent bookstores are benefiting from the general localization movement in the United States. The move of consumers to independent local stores is an encouraging trend for all independent businesses. The “Buy Local” movement is a success and in five years of surveys they show that indie businesses are growing. The localization movement has reached a tipping point and bookstores have been in the forefront of this for years.
There is no substitute for the importance of indie bookstores in book discovery and the numbers show that this is the case. Indie bookstores perform a showrooming experience for purchasers who may decide to make their purchases elsewhere. Publishers are beginning to recognize this and a number of new initiatives are under way. One example of this is that Amazon had to release the Kindle to stores because they found that discovery of the unit on the Amazon site was not good enough to get them the sales figures they wanted.
◇IFLAの“Code of Ethics for Librarians and other Information Workers”の日本語訳「IFLA倫理綱領」掲載
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22896
(2013年2月14日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2012年8月に国際図書館連盟(IFLA)の情報への自由なアクセスと表現の自由に関する委員会(FAIFE)のサイトに公表され、検討されている“IFLA Code of Ethics for Librarians and other Information Workers”について、同サイトに日本語版(2013年1月付)が掲載されています。訳責は、FAIFE委員の井上靖代氏です。
◎「IFLA倫理綱領」(日本語版:PDF) http://www.ifla.org/files/assets/faife/codesofethics/japanesecodeofethicsfull.pdf
◎Professional Codes of Ethics for Librarians http://www.ifla.org/faife/professional-codes-of-ethics-for-librarians
◇eBooks vs. Web Apps for Interactive Content
http://goodereader.com/blog/tools-of-change/tools-of-change-ebooks-vs-web-apps-for-interactive-content
(FEB 14 2013 By Paul Biba Good E-Reader).
Bill McCoy of the IDPF and Sanders Kleinfeld of O’Reilly discussed whether web apps or an ebook format was better for publishers. McCoy pointed out that publishers needed to scale and they were in the business of making multiple titles. Because of this they need tools that will scale with the enterprise. On the whole, he said, design and content are best handled by designers and authors and not by programmers. Programmers should be used to develop tools and it doesn’t scale to hire a lot of programmers to develop web apps for multiple projects. Further, he said that HTML 5 is capable of developing ebooks, websites, and apps and this leads to a a consistency across titles. Companies should not think of building each title as a piece of software.
Kleinfeld felt that apps are the future of digital publishing. e-Readers don’t support a lot of the things that can be done with HTML5. By doing a web app, one can avoid the compatibility problems that the readers present. Web apps are useful because they are online and can be social and the way they are developed makes sharing and discovery very easy. Web apps can be done now and don’t have to wait for various e-readers to catch up. eBooks are software and whether you like it or not if you do ebooks you are a software developer.
Both agree that dedicated ereaders are on the way out and will be replaced by phones and tablets.
◇Open Knowledge Foundation、“Open Humanities Awards”を発表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22894
(2013年2月14日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年2月14日、Open Knowledge Foundationが、Alliance of Digital Humanities Organisationsの刊行している“Digital Humanities Quarterly”の支援の下、Open Humanities Awardsという顕彰プロジェクトを発表しました。
これは、オープンコンテンツやオープンデータ、オープンソースツールを利用した人文学教育や研究を行う3〜5年のプロジェクトへの助成プログラムで、授賞者には15,000ユーロが授与されるとのことです。なお、応募はEU市民に限られ、締切は3月12日となっています。
◎Open Humanities Awards http://openhumanitiesawards.org/
◎15,000 of Prizens on offer for Open Humanities Projects (2013/2/13付けの記事) http://blog.okfn.org/2013/02/13/e15000-of-prizes-on-offer-for-open-humanities-projects/
◎Announcing the Open Humanities Awards (ALLC 2013/2/14付けの記事) http://www.allc.org/news-events/announcing-open-humanities-awards
◇Palo Alto Library Makes Data Available Via an Open Platform
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/02/public-services/palo-alto-library-makes-data-available-via-an-open-platform/
(February 12, 2013 By Michael Kelley on The Digital Shift)
The Palo Alto City Library has made its statistical data available to the public via an open data platform recently implemented by the city.
The city partnered with the cloud-based Junar Open Data Platform in order to increase public access to high value, machine-readable datasets generated by various service areas and departments, including the library.
The library now has an open data page which shows numerous statistical items, such as how library funds are spent, what materials are checked out, and how many visitors the library sees each year. The datasets are accompanied by graphs, and users can share the information and take actions such as getting embed codes, exporting data views or exporting to Excel or to Google spreadsheets, to name a few.
“The library is excited to have our information more widely available to the community,” said Monique le Conge, the library’s director, in a press release. “We are equally eager to see how the information will be used and what innovations for libraries might result.”
The project was led by Jonathan Reichenthal, the city’s chief information officer. The city anticipates that by making the data available in this way, it will increase community engagement. Members of the public can participate in challenges and hackathons that will develop applications that save money and enhance city services at no cost to the city.
“We are delighted to work with a local, innovative Silicon Valley start‐up,” Reichenthal said in the library press release. “Rather than just publishing lists of datasets, the cloud‐based Junar platform has enhancement and visualization capabilities that make the data useful even before it is downloaded or consumed by a software application.”
◇IFLA、図書館による電子書籍貸出のための原則を公表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22880
(2013年2月12日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年2月8日、国際図書館連盟(IFLA)は、“IFLA Principles for Library eLending”を公表しました。これは、2012年5月に公表された図書館における電子書籍等の貸出をテーマとする背景報告書を踏まえて作成されたもので、2013年2月に開催されたIFLAの理事会で承認されたものとのことです。
この原則では、ダウンロード可能な電子書籍コンテンツの提供を考えている図書館に対して、出版社等とのライセンス契約で交渉する上で考慮すべき点等についてをまとめたガイドになっているとのことです。
◎IFLA Principles for Library eLending http://www.ifla.org/node/7418
◎IFLA launches principles, research and advice for eLending in Libraries (IFLA 2013/2/8付けの記事) http://www.ifla.org/news/ifla-launches-principles-research-and-advice-for-elending-in-libraries
◇仏HADOPI、DRMなしでフランス国立図書館に著作物を納本することを提案
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22871
(2013年2月8日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
フランスの「インターネットにおける著作物の頒布及び権利の保護のための高等機関(HADOPI:Haute Autorite pour la diffusion des oeuvres et la protection des droits sur internet)」が、2013年2月4日に公表した見解のなかで、著作者はフランス国立図書館(BNF)に対し、デジタル著作権管理(DRM)技術を付与せずに著作物を納本するようにするという提案を述べているそうです。
◎Avis de l’Hadopi suite a la saisine de la BnF relative a l’exception de depot legal(HADOPI 2013/2/4付けニュース) http://www.hadopi.fr/actualites/actualites/avis-de-l-hadopi-suite-la-saisine-de-la-bnf-relative-l-exception-de-depot-lega
◎Hadopi Says French National Library Needs Unprotected Works... To Put Its Own DRM On(Techdirt 2013/2/4付け記事) http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130204/08341521875/hadopi-says-french-national-library-needs-unprotected-works-to-put-its-own-drm.shtml
◎La Hadopi favorable a un depot legal sans DRM a la BNF, mais limite(Numerama 2013/2/4付け記事) http://www.numerama.com/magazine/24986-la-hadopi-favorable-a-un-depot-legal-sans-drm-a-la-bnf-mais-limite.html
◎フランスのインターネット違法ダウンロード規制法―著作権の保護と表現の自由の均衡をめぐって―(PDF:41ページ) http://www.ndl.go.jp/jp/data/publication/legis/pdf/02500005.pdf
※HADOPIについて解説されています。
◇Bookshare Launches New eBook Tools for Kids with Print Disabilities
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/02/k-12/bookshare-launches-new-ebook-tools-for-kids-with-print-disabilities/
(February 7, 2013 The Digital Shift)
Bookshare has announced that it is launching two new additions to its product line, the Bookshare Web Reader and Bookshelf, as part of its continuing effort to help kids with print disabilities connect with books. The company made the announcement at the 2013 Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference this week. Bookshare Web Reader allows readers to directly open books with a browser without requiring them to download the book or utilize separate software, while Bookshelf allows readers (or their teachers) to organize selections by any system they choose.
For example, teachers can place books?such as K?12 NIMAC textbooks or other assigned reading?on a Bookshelf to be downloaded later by students, or give direct access to students with individual memberships so they can log in and read using the Web Reader. Selections can be organized by interest, author, or subject, or educators can devise their own systems.
“The Bookshelf makes it easy for teachers to download the year’s reading list for multiple students at once, thus saving time,” says Justin Kolbe, assistive technology specialist. “It’s a good way of getting all the reading material organized in one place.”
The Bookshare Web Reader is compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and IE 9.0 and above. It allows readers to adjust font size, colors and display format, and takes advantage of Google Chrome’s features to allow students to read books multi-modally, with word-by-word highlighting and text-to-speech.
Bookshare is a Benetech literacy solution, funded by awards from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
Today, more than 73,000 educators?including reading teachers, assistive technologists, and specialists?use the Bookshare library to support students who are blind or who have low vision, a physical disability such as cerebral palsy, or a severe reading disability such as dyslexia.
“These latest improvements to the Bookshare reading experience align with our long range vision to provide individuals with print disabilities equal access to content,” says Betsy Beaumon, vice president and general manager of the literacy program at Benetech. “We expect members will read more because they will access their books more quickly and have just one click to begin reading.”
◇Flipick to Launch New Tool to Convert InDesign to Fixed-Layout EPUB3 Files
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/flipick-to-launch-new-tool-to-convert-indesign-to-fixed-layout-epub3-files/
(February 7, 2013 Digital Book World)
Flipick to Launch Automated Fixed-Layout ePub3 Conversion at TOC 2013
Book publishers to use Flipick to create interactive fixed layout ePub3 books directly from within Adobe InDesignR
Flipick, a Mediawide company, is all set to launch Flipick at the O’Rielly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference (February 12-14). Flipick is a new online service that allows book publishers and design shops to produce their own ePub3 compatible eBooks directly from within Adobe InDesign.
This new service is quick, and capable of producing rich, informative and interactive text in an utmost cost-effective manner. Flipick is expected to be popular with publishers creating fixed-layout eBooks such as K-12 and scientific textbooks, storybooks and graphic novels in a format that dynamically adapts to disparate reading environments.
Flipick is currently offering a free Beta trial for a limited period. During this period, publishers can download the free Flipick plug-in for Adobe InDesign to add interactive content to their books. The finished InDesign book is then uploaded to the Flipick portal and converted to ePub3 format. Interactive content includes slide shows, video, hyperlinks and pop-ups.
“With the ever-increasing demand for interactive eBooks, publishers are looking for more cost-effective production,” says Ravi Dugal, President of Flipick. “And because so many books are initially designed in InDesign for print, Flipick offers a compelling, low-cost conversion process”.
◇論文がオープンアクセスであることを示すメタデータやマークの標準化へ、NISOがプロジェクト開始
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22863
(2013年2月7日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米国情報標準化機構(NISO)が、雑誌掲載論文がオープンアクセス(OA)であることを示すメタデータや視覚的なマークの標準化に向けたプロジェクトを開始しました。ニュースレター“NISO Newsline”の2013年2月号に掲載された記事“NISO Launches New Initiative to Develop Standard for Open Access Metadata and Indicators”で紹介されています。現在、論文がOAであることを表記する方法は出版社や雑誌によってまちまちで、また雑誌中の一部の論文のみがOAであるハイブリッドOAジャーナルの存在もあり、読者は混乱しがちという背景があります。人が見て分かるというだけでなく、機械可読な方法での表示についても検討されるもようです。このプロジェクトについて詳しくは、2月11日開催のテレカンファレンスで議論されるということです。
◎NISO Launches New Initiative to Develop Standard for Open Access Metadata and Indicators(NISO Newsline) http://www.niso.org/publications/newsline/2013/newslinefeb2013.html#report2
◎NISO Newsline http://www.niso.org/publications/newsline/2013/newslinefeb2013.html
◇The Real Cost of Ebooks for Libraries
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/the-real-cost-of-ebooks-for-libraries/
(February 5, 2013 Digital Book World)
Librarians often complain about the lack of availability of ebooks and their cost when they are available. Outside of knowledge of which publishers sell ebooks to libraries and news stories about their cost, it’s not directly known what a librarian faces day-to-day in terms of trying to get ebook access for her patrons.
The Douglas County Libraries have put out a report showing the cost and availability of the most popular print books for patrons and next to it the same for the ebook editions. The differences are stark.
For the top 15 fiction titles, libraries typically pay a few cents less per copy than consumers do for the print edition. The same is true for the top five nonfiction titles.
When it comes to ebooks, the story is very different. Four of the top 15 fiction titles are available to libraries:
- The Racketeer (John Grisham, Random House): $12.99 for consumers, $85.00 for libraries
- Notorious Nineteen (Janet Evanovich, Random House): $13.99 for consumers, $84.00 for libraries
- A Wanted Man (Lee Child, Random House): $13.00 for consumers, $84.00 for libraries
- Flight Behavior (Barbara Kingsolver, HarperCollins): $12.99 for consumers, $25.95 for libraries
For nonfiction, only one of the five most popular titles is available as an ebook: Wild (Cheryl Strayed, Random House), which is $12.99 for consumers and $25.95 for libraries.
◎See the full document here. http://evoke.cvlsites.org/files/2013/02/DCLPricingReport2-1-13.pdf
◇Amazon、テキスト読み上げ技術開発企業Inovaを買収
http://ebook.itmedia.co.jp/ebook/articles/1302/04/news069.html
(2013年02月04日 15時05分 更新 eBook USER)
テキスト読み上げ技術を開発するInovaを買収したばかりのAmazonだが、同社はこの買収で視覚障がい者への訴求力を高めることになるだろう。AmazonはすでにInovaのソフトウェアをKindle Fire(8.9インチ)で採用している。買収によりライセンス費用の支払いから解放されるため、同社のサービスでこの新技術はますます利用されるだろう。
Ivonaの特徴は何か。また、Amazonはどのようにその技術を応用しているのだろうか。Ivonaは17カ国語、44方言に対応する。現在、Kindle Fire 8.9では、メニューを読み上げる『ボイスガイド』と書籍のテキスト読み上げ機能に同機能が利用されている。ボイスガイドナビゲーションは視覚に障がいのある人々の生活に大きな違いをもたらすことになる最も刺激的な特長の1つだ。メニュー操作から書籍を開く操作に至るまで、あらゆるアクションを読み上げてくれる。例えば図書館から借りてきた電子書籍をタップすると、システムは『The Hunger Games. Book opened.』のように本のタイトルとそれを開いたことを伝える。その後、ユーザーは従来のテキスト読み上げ機能も利用して読むことができる。
これはAmazonがしばらく取引していた企業を囲い込むうまいやり方だ。iOSおよびAndroid向けアプリにも将来Ivonaの同様の機能が導入されるかもしれない。さまざまな方言とアクセントでテキスト読み上げ機能を利用できるのは非常に興味深いのではないかろうか。筆者はAmazonがAmazon Primeの会員向けにさまざまな方言をまとめてライブラリとしてバンドルすることで、追加収益を得るのではないかと考えている。
AmazonがIvonaを買収した最大の理由はNational Federation of Blind(NFB)の要求を満たすためではないかと思う。この組織はAmazonの教育市場参入を阻む大きな障壁となっていた。Amazonが電子書籍リーダーを利用してパイロットプロジェクトを実施するといっても、NFBは電子書籍リーダーが視覚障がい者をいかに除外しているか批判を重ねてきた。数カ月前、NFBはAmazonの本社前で大規模な抗議行動を行い、メディアの注目を集めている。
◇Korean Publishers Return to Bookselling Through Cafes
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/korean-publishers-return-to-bookselling-through-cafes
(FEB 03, 2013 By Mercy Pilkington Good E-Reader)
Like many well-known publishers did before them, publishers in Korea have taken to opening their own bookstores to sell their titles, especially in storefront cafes reminiscent of the coffee house bookstores in the US. An article for Publishing Perspectives details how these consumer-savvy publishers are cutting out the booksellers and marketing their titles to the public on their own.
“In Korea, the trend of publishers opening bookstore cafe ? the 21st-century incarnation of what passes for a bricks-and-mortar bookstore ? is taking off. The Korea Herald reports that in Seoul, ‘cafes that provide books to read reflect the ever-changing trend and culture of the publishing industry here.’”
While some of these initiatives are aimed at increasing profit margins by selling directly to the readers, the article went on to explain a much deeper need for this level of retail. It outlines how book remainders which were once relegated to the incinerator are now being sold in publisher-owned cafes, eliminating the practice of destroying books that were taking up valuable and highly sought after premium shelf space in larger bookstores.
“In one such instance, Jang Eu-ddeum, a former marketer for the major publishing house Munhakdongne Publishing Group, opened the book-themed Cafe Comma in 2011. The cafe, along with serving refreshments, also operates as a bookstore, selling remainders published by Munhakdongne at a 50% discount.
‘Before opening the cafe, we (the publishing company) had to throw most of these books out,” said Jang. “It cost too much to hire someone to take care of them. It was really heartbreaking to see them taken away to be destroyed.’”
The article’s insight begs the question: should more publishers be reaching out to customers in this way, returning to the days of the publisher selling directly to readers? And if more publishers did attempt to open their own brick-and-mortar or online retail outlets, what impact would that have on the bookshops that are currently struggling to stay afloat in the sea of digital publishing and e-reading?
◇German eBook Retailer, eBook.de, Ends 2012 With Great Final Quarter
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/german-ebook-retailer-ebook-de-ends-2012-with-great-final-quarter
(FEB 01, 2013 By Paul Biba Good E-Reader)
eBook.de is a major ebook retailer in Germany. The latest report (through a Google translation) says that ebook sales tripled in the final quarter of 2012, and for the first time they sold more ebooks than printed books. A survey they conducted shows that ebook readers in the 40 to 49 year-old range accounted for 32% of sales, and those over 60 accounted for 20%. Nearly half of the purchasers of e-readers read more digital than print books and about a quarter read only ebooks.
Their ebook inventory rose from 404,000 to 668,000 and the second-best-selling ebook was Shades of Grey. Open standards are important, says the release, as the company feels that the ability to buy ebooks from different providers and the ability to consume them on different readers is important for customers.
◇EditionGuard Lets Small Business Sell DRM eBooks
http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/editionguard-lets-small-business-sell-drm-ebooks
(FEB 01, 2013 By Paul Biba Good E-Reader)
If you have a website and want to sell ebooks, then you need to be able to provide DRM. In many cases the author or publisher requires this for the book to be sold. However, investing in the deployment of your own DRM system is expensive (a license can be over $10,000) and is a technical challenge. Now that problem can be overcome by a turnkey system from EditionGuard.
EditionGuard is based on the industry-standard Adobe Content Server. This is what is used by Barnes & Noble, Sony, OverDrive, and others. EditionGuard overcomes the initial cost-prohibitive entry requirements of Adobe by charging $39 per month for any self-publisher to utilize the DRM system for up to 5 titles. Higher tier plans are available, as is a free trial. In addition, they have created a slew of tools to make integration easier for the non-technical user. For example, they have a WordPress plugin that can be installed on any WordPress site and instantly give it secure ebook sales capabilities.
I’m no fan of DRM, and I strongly believe that it is a drag on sales and acceptance of ebooks, but one can’t deny the reality that it is a requirement of many authors and publishers nowadays. This product looks like an clever solution to the technical/pricing mess that Adobe has created with its system and may very well increase the sales of ebooks for the small vendor.
◇University of Chicago Press Launches DRM-Free Short-Form Ebook Series
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/university-of-chicago-press-launches-drm-free-short-form-ebook-series/
(February 1, 2013 Digital Book World)
The University of Chicago Press launched its Chicago Short series today with nine titles.
“Priced for impulse buying,” according to the The Chicago Blog, eight of the short-form ebooks are available for $3.99 and one for $0.99. To add to the appeal, that $0.99 title is free through the end of February. (For insight into how ebook pricing influences sales, check out this week’s Ebook Best-Sellers list.)
Chicago Shorts will comprise previously unpublished content, archival pieces, and best-of’s from the Press’s newer books. All titles in the series will be DRM-Free.
By not tying Chicago Shorts titles to any given user with Digital Rights Management, the Press is holding true to the dictum that “university presses are charged with serving the public good by generating and disseminating knowledge” (AAUP). And indeed, this series is “aimed at the general reader,” according to The Chicago Blog.
◇dbsv-direkt Nr. 04-13 ?Wegweiser durch die digitale Welt“ jetzt auch als DAISY-Horbuch
http://www.dbsv.org/dbsv/aktuelles/alias/article/1703/
(28.01.13 Von: Irene Klein DBSV)
Die von der Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Senioren-Organisationen (BAGSO) herausgegebene Broschure ?Wegweiser durch die digitale Welt fur altere Burgerinnen und Burger“ ist jetzt auch als Horbuch fur blinde und sehbehinderte Menschen erschienen. Freundschaften pflegen, Einkaufe tatigen, Behorden kontaktieren ? das Horbuch und die Broschure bieten besonders alteren Menschen wertvolle Ratschlage zum sicheren Surfen im Internet und erlautern die Chancen und Risiken des World Wide Web.
Mit Unterstutzung des Bundesverbraucherministeriums konnte die BAGSO die Informationen in Kooperation mit dem Deutschen Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband (DBSV) und der Deutschen Blindenstudienanstalt (blista) nun auch als Horfassung aufbereiten. Um blinden und sehbehinderten Menschen den Zugang zu Computer und Internet zu erleichtern, ist die CD im DAISY-Format um spezielle Tipps erganzt worden.
Nach Angaben des Robert Koch-Instituts leiden sechs Prozent der Bevolkerung uber 65 Jahre unter grosen Sehschwierigkeiten oder vollstandigem Sehverlust. Mit steigender Lebenserwartung nimmt die Anzahl altersbedingter Augenerkrankungen zu. Gerade fur Menschen mit wenig oder ohne Sehvermogen bietet das Internet neue Informations- und Kommunikationswege. So konnen etwa Nachrichten vergrosert am Monitor gelesen oder Webinhalte mit Hilfe eines ?Screenreaders“ vorgelesen werden. Mit seinen Informationen und Ratschlagen zu Gesundheit, barrierefreiem Reisen, zum Einkauf oder zu Bankgeschaften kann das Internet fur Personen mit eingeschranktem Sehvermogen ein lohnender Ort fur die Recherche und ein hilfreiches Instrument zur Erleichterung des Alltags werden.
Das Horbuch ?Wegweiser durch die digitale Welt fur altere Burgerinnen und Burger“ erscheint voraussichtlich in der April-Ausgabe von DBSV-Inform. Haben Sie Interesse an der monatlichen DAISY-CD, die das DBSV-Verbandsmagazin ?Gegenwart“ und samtliche Publikationen der DBSV-Landesvereine umfasst? Dann fordern Sie ein Probeexemplar an: DBSV-Zeitschriftenverlag, Petra Wolff, Tel.: 0 30 / 28 53 87-220, E-Mail: p.wolff(at)dbsv.org
Der ?Wegweiser durch die digitale Welt“ kann beim DBSV auch kostenfrei als CD bestellt oder als Textdatei heruntergeladen werden, Tel.: 0 30 / 28 53 87-220, E-Mail: p.wolff(at)dbsv.org, www.senioren.dbsv.org
Als Leihtitel ist der ?Wegweiser durch die digitale Welt“ ab sofort bei allen Blindenbuchereien verfugbar, die sich unter dem Dach der Mediengemeinschaft fur blinde und sehbehinderte Menschen (Medibus) zusammengeschlossen haben: www.medibus.info
◇民間企業と提携したBNFの資料デジタル化に対し、COMMUNIA等6団体が抗議声明を発表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22804
(2013年1月29日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年1月15日にフランス国立図書館(BNF)が所蔵資料デジタル化で民間企業2社と提携を発表した問題について、1月18日に、COMMUNIA、Open Knowledge Foundation France、Creative Commons France、La Quadrature du Net、Framasoft、そしてSavoirsCom1の6つの団体が連名でこれに抗議する声明文書を発表しました。
文書では、デジタル化対象となっている資料が既にパブリックドメインとなっているものでありながら、今回の提携がその2社に対して今後10年間デジタル化した資料の排他的な商業利用を認めているとして批判する内容となっています。
◎Non a la privatisation du domaine public par la Bibliotheque nationale de France ! (6団体の抗議声明) https://www.laquadrature.net/fr/non-a-la-privatisation-du-domaine-public-par-la-bibliotheque-nationale-de-france
◎Non a la privatisation du domaine public par la Bibliotheque nationale de France ! (SavoirsCom1 2013/1/18付けの記事) http://www.savoirscom1.info/2013/01/18/non-a-la-privatisation-du-domaine-public-par-la-bibliotheque-nationale-de-france/
◎Communia condemns the privatization of the Public Domain by the Bibliotheque nationale de France (Communia 2013/1/21付けの記事) http://www.communia-association.org/2013/01/21/no-to-the-privatization-of-the-public-domain-by-the-bibliotheque-nationale-de-france/
◎La privatisation du domaine public a la BnF, symptome d’un desarroi strategique (Slate.fr 2013/1/22付けの記事) http://www.slate.fr/tribune/67445/privatisation-domaine-public-bnf-desarroi-strategique
◇米国図書館協会、公共図書館の電子書籍導入に際して契約内容を評価するためのスコアカードを公表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22796
(2013年1月28日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米国図書館協会(ALA)のデジタルコンテンツ&図書館ワーキンググループ(DCWG)が、2013年1月25日付けで、“E-Book Business Models: a scorecard for public libraries”を公表しました。これは、公共図書館において電子書籍を導入するに当たり、出版社との契約内容に関して評価を行うために用いるスコアカードです。以下の15項目について5段階で評価するようになっています。
(1)Replicating the Print Model
(2)Inclusion of all titles
(3)Right to transfer content to a different delivery platform
(4)Right to lend content indefinitely
(5)Accessibility for people with disabilities
(6)Integration
(7)Single user
(8)Limited number of loans
(9)Variable pricing
(10)Delayed sales with discoun
(11)Premium for immediate access to delayed titles
(12)In-Library check-out
(13)Restrictions on consortia or interlibrary loans
(14)Enhanced discovery
(15)Sales channel
◎E-Book Business Models: a scorecard for public libraries(PDF:8ページ) http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Ebook_Scorecard.pdf
◎Public Libraries: ALA Releases “E-Book Business Model Scorecard”(INFOdocket 2013/1/25付け記事) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/01/25/public-libraries-ala-releases-e-book-business-model-scorecard/
◇米大手出版社マクミランが図書館に対する電子書籍の販売を試行へ
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22786
(2013年1月25日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米国の大手出版社マクミラン社が、2013年第一四半期に、図書館に対する電子書籍販売を試行開始すると発表したと報じられています。販売対象となるのは、傘下のMinotaur Books社のミステリーや犯罪小説など1200タイトルです。販売価格は均一で、INFOdocketの情報では25ドルとされています。購入したタイトルは、52回貸し出されるか、2年間が経過するまで利用することができます。これらのタイトルは、OverDrive、360 Axis Digital Media Library、3M Cloud Libraryという電子書籍ディストリビューターからも提供されるということです。
同社は「ビッグ6」のひとつとして数えられますが、これまで図書館に対して電子書籍を提供していませんでした。
◎UPDATED: Macmillan Announces Details of Library Lending Pilot(INFOdocket 2013/1/24付け記事) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/01/24/macmillan-announces-details-of-library-lending-pilot/
◎Macmillan to launch two-year ebook library lending pilot(paidContent 2013/1/24付け記事) http://paidcontent.org/2013/01/24/macmillan-to-launch-two-year-ebook-library-lending-pilot/
◎Macmillan to Begin E-book Library Lending Pilot(Publishers Weekly 2013/1/24付け記事) http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/55630-macmillan-to-begin-e-book-library-lending-pilot.html
◎Minotaur Books http://us.macmillan.com/Minotaur.aspx
◇米国の公共図書館の統計・概況調査、2010年度版が公開(米国)
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22774
(2013年1月23日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
米国の博物館・図書館サービス機構(IMLS)が2010年度の公共図書館統計“Public Libraries in the United States Survey”を公表しています。蔵書冊数、歳入・歳出、職員、各種のパフォーマンス指標、インターネット、貸出件数、レファレンスサービス件数、図書館利用者数などの概況がカバーされているものです。
これについてIMLSの会長Susan Hildrethが、IMLSの公式ブログに記事を掲載し、いくつかの主要な数値を紹介しています。ここでは、
・公共図書館は2億9,760万にサービスを提供した
・貸出件数24億6,000万件のうち、子ども向けの資料は3分の1を占めた
・プログラムは375万件提供され、このうち61.7%は子ども向けのものである
・公共図書館における電子書籍の数は2003年から3倍に増加している
・コンピューターの数は過去10年間で倍増している
などが言及されています。
◎Public Libraries in the United States Survey: Fiscal Year 2010 http://www.imls.gov/research/public_libraries_in_the_us_fy_2010_report.aspx
◎Public Libraries in the United States Survey Fiscal Year 2010(2013年1月付け, 52ページ) http://www.imls.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/PLS2010.pdf
◎New Report Shows Trends in U.S. Library Service(UpNext: The IMLS Blog 2013/1/22付け) http://blog.imls.gov/?p=2645
◇米OverDrive社、図書館・学校向けにストリーミング形式でのビデオとオーディオの提供サービスを発表
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22754
(2013年1月23日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年1月22日、米OverDrive社は、図書館及び学校向けにストリーミングビデオとオーディオを提供する新サービスを発表しました。実際のサービス提供は2013年後半を予定しており、同社は1月25日から28日に開催される米国図書館協会の冬季会議の会場でデモを行うとしています。
◎OverDrive Announces Streaming Video and Audio Services for Libraries and Schools (OverDrive 2013/1/22付けの記事) http://www.overdrive.com/News/OverDrive-Announces-Streaming-Video-and-Audio-Services-for-Libraries-and-Schools
◇人文・社会科学系のオープンアクセスメガジャーナルを目指して “Open Library of Humanities”が正式発足
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22757
(2013年1月23日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2013年1月18日、PLOSをモデルとした人文・社会科学系のオープンアクセスメガジャーナルを目指す“PLOHSS”が、“Open Library of Humanities”(OLH)の名前で正式にプロジェクトを立ち上げました。
今後は組織体制の確立とウェブサイトの広報、PLOSのアドバイスを元に財政基盤の確立等を目指すとしています。
◎Launching the Project (Open Library of Humanities 2013/1/18付けの記事) http://www.openlibhums.org/2013/01/18/test-news-post/
◎Open Library of Humanitiesのプレスリリース http://www.openlibhums.org/media/press-release/
◇HathiTrust Riches Unlocked?
http://blogs.ifla.org/acd/2013/01/21/hathitrust-riches-unlocked/
(21 January 2013 ACD Blog, by IFLA Acquisition & Collection Development Section)
It’s a whole new world for digital access, a round table of fair-use experts agree.
The constitutionality of digital fair use was upheld this past October, when US District Court Judge Harold Baer summarily dismissed the Authors Guild’s year-old lawsuit against the HathiTrust library collaborative to block the use of its growing repository of millions of full-text book scans. Calling the project “the enduring work of libraries,” HathiTrust Executive Director John Wilkin told American Libraries the organization continues to plan “more and better” uses of its scanned content. An appeal is pending. Meantime, blogerati Karen Coyle, Barbara Fister, and James Grimmelmann shared with AL how they see this decision shaping the future of sharing digitally preserved print materials.
◇出版社の一般書店への売上依存率は2014年に15%程度に――英大手出版プロダクションCEO)
http://ebook.itmedia.co.jp/ebook/articles/1301/18/news056.html
(2013年01月18日 13時27分 ITmedia eBook USER)
Frankfurt Book Fair事務局が運営する出版業界ニュースサイト「Publishing Perspectives」によると、米国ニューヨーク市内で今週開催された電子書籍業界カンファレンス「Digital Book World 2013」で出版社の直販戦略について熱い議論が交わされた。
記事によると、公開議論に参加したのはHoughton Mifflin Harcourtなど大手3社の代表。その中で、英国の出版プロダクション大手Quarto Group CEOのマーカス・リーバー氏は出版社による電子書籍の台頭により、「出版社の一般書店への売上依存率は急速に減り、2014年に15%程度になるだろう」と予言。Amazonへの依存度を少しでも低めるため、今年は各出版社が電子書籍の直販戦略に着手する年になるだろうと予想している。
◇フランス国立図書館が民間企業2社と提携、15〜17世紀書籍7万冊とレコード20万枚のデジタル化を実施
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22725
(2013年1月17日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
フランス国立図書館(BNF)が所蔵資料のデジタル化に関して民間企業2社とパートナーシップを結んだと現地紙で報じられています。デジタル化対象資料と提携先企業は、1470年〜1700年に出版された7万冊のフランス語書籍をデジタル化するProQuest社および、20万枚のレコードをデジタル化するBelieve Digital and Memnon Archiving Services社ということです。
◎Deux nouveaux partenariats de numerisation des collections de la BNF(leParisien.fr 2013/1/15付け記事) http://www.leparisien.fr/flash-actualite-culture/deux-nouveaux-partenariats-de-numerisation-des-collections-de-la-bnf-15-01-2013-2483639.php
◎Numerisation a la BnF : Google et la British Library, plus respectueux(ActuaLitte 2013/1/16付け記事) http://www.actualitte.com/acteurs-numeriques/numerisation-a-la-bnf-google-et-la-british-library-plus-respectueux-39634.htm
◎French Government and National Library of France (BNF) Announce New Partnerships to Digitize Books and Recordings(LJ INFOdocket 2013/1/15付け記事) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/01/15/french-government-and-national-library-of-france-bnf-announce-new-partnerships-to-digitize-books-and-recordings/
◇Why Wool Author Hugh Howey Didn’t Sell His Ebook Rights
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/why-wook-author-hugh-howey-didnt-sell-his-ebook-rights/
(January 17, 2013 Digital Book World)
Wool author Hugh Howey struck it big in a deal with Simon & Schuster late last year that saw him collect a seven-figure advance for just the print publishing rights to his hit best-seller.
As it turns out, well before his deal with a traditional publisher, he was raking in $150,000 a month in income for his self-published ebooks. It was a tough sell, given those numbers, for any publisher to be able to buy the rights to publish his book.
According to Howey’s agent Kristin Nelson, the reason was the percentage of ebook royalties that publishers offer and the terms of the contract that determine when a book’s rights revert back to authors.
In May of 2012, Nelson and Howey had conversations with publishers in which they brought up these sticking points. While the conversations were valuable, Nelson and Howey said at the Digital Book World Conference + Expo, they didn’t lead to a deal and, Nelson said, it didn’t seem like the publishers were really listening.
In Oct., Wool was a Kindle Daily Deal and sold 20,000 copies in a day. Nelson brought this data to publishers who seemed, she said, to be listening a little more closely. A deal to acquire just the print rights to Wool from Simon & Schuster soon followed.
Howey an Altruist?
An interesting anecdote from Howey: At some point on his road to success with Wool, Howey began to receive complaints from readers who had Nook and other non-Amazon devices that they couldn’t get his books. Howey had up until that point been part of the Kindle Select program, which meant that he received certain promotional considerations on the Kindle platform but was not allowed to offer his book on other platforms.
Responding to these complaints, Howey opted out of the Kindle Select program even though it meant less revenue from book sales for him.
At some point, he said, when you’re making enough money, you want to please your customers.
◇Baker & Taylor Adds Audiobook Capabilities to Axis 360 Library Platform
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/baker-taylor-adds-audiobook-capabilities-to-axis-360-library-platform/
(January 17, 2013 Digital Book World)
Baker & Taylor, the world’s largest distributor of digital and physical books and entertainment products, announced the launch of its innovative Acoustik audiobook service for the Axis 360 digital media platform, enabling library patrons to borrow and download digital audiobooks directly to their Apple and Android mobile devices. The free Acoustik audiobook app is powered by Findaway World, LLC, an innovative, industry leader in audiobook distribution.
Acoustik audiobooks provide Axis 360-enabled libraries with instant access to more than 25,000 new release and best-selling backlist audiobook titles, offering a diverse and extensive collection, as well as a simple and convenient way for patrons to download and listen on the go.
Baker & Taylor continues to innovate and broaden its digital services, enabling libraries to meet rising demand for electronic content in their communities, and to create easy-to-use systems for patrons who want to enjoy reading and listening on the devices that they carry with them every day.
“The addition of Acoustik audiobooks to Axis 360 is another major step in Baker & Taylor’s ongoing mission to provide next-generation digital services to libraries, and to provide patrons with multiple formats on one user-friendly platform,” says George Coe, President of Library & Education at Baker & Taylor. “To help libraries serve all the interests of their communities, we continue to innovate and expand our offerings. Our partnership with Findaway World introduces a new audiobook service to the market and ensures patrons have access to the content they want ? whether they want to hear it or read it.”
Acoustik audiobook titles are available now for Axis 360-enabled public, government and academic libraries to order and add to their existing digital collections on Axis 360.
“We are proud to partner with Baker & Taylor to introduce our digital download technology into the library space,” said Mitch Kroll, co-founder and CEO of Findaway World. “We are energized that patrons can now access our comprehensive catalog of audiobooks on their own devices ? whenever and wherever they want to listen.”
The Acoustik audiobook app is free to download and available for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch through Apple’s App Store and for Android Smartphones and tablet devices through Google Play (formerly Android Market). Acoustik audiobook apps for additional operating systems will be announced later this year.
◇Ebook Market Maturing, Book Industry Study Group Says
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/ebook-market-maturing-book-industry-study-group-says/
(January 17, 2013 Digital Book World)
More ebook readers have kept their ebook buying behavior steady for some time as sales of print books have started to level off after years of decreases, according to new data from the Book Industry Study Group.
“The ebook market is maturing and becoming more predictable,” said Len Vlahos, the executive director of BISG, speaking at the Digital Book World Conference + Expo.
In 2012, growth in ebooks did not eclipse triple-digit percentages versus the previous year for the first time since 2008, according to the latest numbers from the Association of American Publishers.
Others at the conference echoed Vlahos’ message.
“We’re at the end of the first act” of the ebook revolution, said president of New York-based literary agency Writers House Simon Lipskar later in the conference.
“Like any innovation cycle, you have the disruption, then some stability, then the second wave,” said Chantal Restivo-Alessi, chief digital officer of HarperCollins.
◇“公共図書館はなぜ重要か?”変わりゆく出版と読書の世界における図書館の機会について、マーケティング専門家が論考(米国)<記事紹介>
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22720
(2013年1月17日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
Forbes誌に、図書館の電子書籍市場における役割についてのコラム(2回シリーズ)の第2回目として、“Why Public Libraries Matter: And How They Can Do More”と題するコラムが掲載されています。マーケティングにおいて経験を有するDavid Vinjamuri氏による論考です。
出版者が図書館の役割を過小評価していること、公共図書館は将来本の発見のローカルセンターとなるであろうことなどを指摘した上で、電子書籍市場において、米国デジタル公共図書館(Digital Public Library of America)等に見られる協同購入等を特徴とするモデルの重要性や、インディーズ出版における本の発見において図書館の果たし得る役割について議論を展開しているようです。
◎Why Public Libraries Matter: And How They Can Do More(Forbes 2013/1/16付け) http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidvinjamuri/2013/01/16/why-public-libraries-matter-and-how-they-can-do-more/
◎Marketing Pro Discusses Public Libraries in New Forbes Blog Post(infoDOCKET 2013/1/16付け) http://www.infodocket.com/2013/01/16/marketing-pro-talks-public-libraries-in-new-forbes-blog-post/
◇Does Piracy Hurt Digital Content Sales? Yes
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/does-piracy-hurt-digital-content-sales-yes/
(January 16, 2013 by Jeremy Greenfield Digital Book World)
People who pirate digital content wouldn’t have bought it if it wasn’t available for free. Publishers can’t do anything about pirates anyway. And, besides, piracy doesn’t hurt ebook and other digital content sales.
All myths, according to Michael D. Smith, professor of information technology and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, speaking at the Digital Book World Conference + Expo.
For the four oft-cited studies that have shown that piracy doesn’t hurt digital content sales, there are 25 that say that it does, for instance, said Smith.
Further, publishers should adopt two major strategies in combating piracy: Make their content available online and use anti-piracy laws.
Publishers can and do compete with pirated versions of their content available for free, said Smith, citing studies of major television networks adding content to legitimate distributors lowering demand for piracy of that material. When ABC added its content to Hulu, incidences of piracy of ABC content decreased 37%.
In another example, Smith cited an anonymous publisher that selectively windowed its ebook and print book titles to see if releasing the digital version after the print version would result in increased sales for the print version. Sales of print copies increased by 0.4% ? but ebook sales decreased by 52% and overall sales dropped by 22%, presumably because of piracy.
Anti-piracy efforts also reduce incidences of piracy. Smith studied the effects of anti-piracy laws in France and of the take-down of piracy site Megaupload. In the case of the anti-piracy laws in France, conversation about the laws and then their implementation helped boost digital content sales by anywhere between 5% and 30%, depending on the content. And the shutdown of Megaupload coincided with reduced instances of piracy across multiple countries.
Not all stakeholders, however, care so much about ebook piracy.
“I love pirates. I get money from them all the time,” said the best-selling author of Wool, Hugh Howey, who will be speaking later at the Digital Book World Conference + Expo on his success story. “They send me money thanking me because they loved my book. I sometimes go onto torrent sites and if I don’t see my book there I feel bad because it means I’m not in demand.”
◇Overdrive: Readers Turn to Libraries for Ebook Discovery
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/overdrive-readers-turn-to-libraries-for-ebook-discovery/
(January 15, 2013 Digital Book World)
Readers browsing eBook and audiobook collections at OverDrive-powered libraries and schools viewed 2.7 billion book and title catalog pages and generated 192 million registered visitor sessions last year. As more readers visit their library’s digital collection to find their next great read, the digital library has become a critical hub of book discovery. Across OverDrive’s network of 22,000 libraries and schools, browsing and sampling skyrocketed in 2012, giving fresh exposure to titles throughout OverDrive’s catalog of more than 1 million eBooks and audiobooks. To find a library near you, visit search.overdrive.com.
“As a result of the continued expansion of OverDrive’s library service platform and the addition of over 300,000 titles, including Harry Potter and other bestsellers, digital libraries saw record traffic last year,”
said Shannon Lichty, OverDrive’s Manager of Library Partner Services. “For decades, readers have turned to the library to discover new books, and OverDrive’s new responsive library platform is based on web-centric open standards to carry that tradition to the next generation of readers.” For an example of OverDrive’s Next Generation services, visit Los Angeles Public Library’s e-Media site (http://lapl.lib.overdrive.com).
Key statistics:
192 million registered visitor sessions, up 93 percent from 2011
2.7 billion book and title catalog pages viewed, up 65 percent
Sampling is up more than 500 percent, with a significant spike following the release of OverDrive Read samples in Sept. 2012
Discovery has increased by more than 60 percent, with more than 1 billion cover image impressions in Dec. 2012
OverDrive catalog now includes 1 million eBook, audiobook, music and video titles in 65 languages, including 300,000 titles added in 2012
Mobile visits increased to 47 percent of all visits
16 million downloads of the OverDrive Media Console app in 2012
70 million digital titles checked out in 2012
At the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting (Washington State Convention Center, Booth 1115) in Seattle, Jan. 25 to 28, OverDrive will share additional eBook data and demonstrate how reader engagement is soaring at Next Generation libraries. The Cleveland-based digital distributor is pioneering a series of Next Generation enhancements that extend the value of its industry-leading eBook-lending platform.
Currently in pilot at 35 public libraries, OverDrive’s Next Generation websites streamline the digital library experience with One-Step Checkout?, a powerful search engine, and the new HTML5-powered, instant-access eBook-reading technology OverDrive Read. In 2013, OverDrive will also implement streaming audio and video technology and release additional APIs that enable libraries to fully integrate digital and print catalogs.
OverDrive offers a catalog of more than 1 million eBooks and audiobooks with support for all major computers and devices, including iPhoneR, iPadR, NookR, Android? phones and tablets, and KindleR (U.S. only). To find a library near you, visit search.overdrive.com.
◇National Federation of the Blind Comments on Belgian Euthanasia of Deaf Men Losing Sight
https://nfb.org/national-federation-blind-comments-belgian-euthanasia-deaf-men-losing-sight
(Tuesday, January 15, 2013 National Federation of the Blind)
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “This disturbing news from Belgium is a stark example of the common, and in this case tragic, misunderstanding of disability and its consequences. Adjustment to any disability is difficult, and deaf-blind people face their own particular challenges, but from at least the time of Helen Keller it has been known that these challenges can be met, and the technology and services available today have vastly improved prospects for the deaf-blind and others with disabilities. That these men wanted to die is tragic; that the state sanctioned and aided their suicide is frightening.”
The National Federation of the Blind needs your support to ensure that blind children get an equal education, to connect blind veterans with the training and services they need, and to help seniors who are losing vision continue to live independent and fulfilling lives. To make a donation, please go to www.nfb.org.
◇Audiobooks.com Switches to Audible’s Pay Model
http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/audiobooks-com-switches-to-audibles-pay-model
(JAN 15, 2013 By Paul Biba Good E-Reader)
We often forget that audiobooks are part of the ebook hierarchy. Amazon’s Audible is the biggest player in this market and has been around for years. Last year, however, Audiobooks.com started up with a new payment model. It charged $24.95 to listen to an unlimited number of audiobooks from the catalog. This was different from Audible’s “credit” model, which, generally, resulted in a payment of $14.95 per book. At that time, Audiobooks.com said that its plan was better because there was “… no need to return audiobooks, no long-term contracts, and no time constraints on audiobook use”.
That has changed, however. Audiobooks.com has just changed its plan to match Audible: $14.95 for one audiobook per month and $22.95 for two audiobooks per month. According to paidContent, Audiobooks.com felt that it was alienating customers by only offering a high-end plan and, given the length of an audiobook, few customers can make use of an unlimited plan.
So why bother with Audiobooks.com when Audible is so much bigger (100,000 titles at Audible vs. 25,000 titles at Audiobooks.com)? Good question. The main difference, now, seems to be that Audiobooks.com offers streaming and Audible does not. It doesn’t seem to me that this is much of a raison d’etre. Streaming will eat up a user’s data plan as audiobooks are hours long. Only a mobile user has much use for streaming, and streaming may not be completely reliable when the user is moving about. To remain competitive, Audiobooks.com will need to come up with a better distinction than this.
◇Is Open Access Finally on the Ascendancy?
http://blogs.ifla.org/acd/2013/01/15/is-open-access-finally-on-the-ascendancy/
(15 January 2013 ACD Blog, by IFLA Acquisition & Collection Development Section)
This may be the year for reality to catch up with rhetoric. For more than a decade, advocates and some funding agencies have been proselytizing for open access, frequently pledging that all of their work is going to be rendered open to all. And yet, the beast remains untamed. Just try sitting at your home computer, shorn of your university’s online journal subscriptions, and attempt to access the literature on a problem of interest, and see how far you get.
http://www.arl.org/sparc/bm~doc/final.pdf
◇オランダの出版大手AP/AWB社が販売する全ての電子書籍をDRMフリーに
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22705
(2013年1月15日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
オランダの大手出版社De Arbeiderspers/A. W. Bruna Uitgevers(AP/AWB)が、2013年1月18日より、販売する全ての電子書籍をDRMフリーにし、代わりに電子透かしを導入すると発表しました。ただし、AppleのiBookstoreで販売しているものを除くということです。同社は現在ポール・オースターの作品などを含む1,200タイトルの電子書籍を販売しており、2013年にはその数を拡大していく予定ということです。
◎Alle e-books van AP/AWB nu voor iedereen toegankelijk http://www.awbruna.nl/web/A.W.-Bruna/Nieuws/Artikel/Alle-ebooks-van-APAWB-nu-voor-iedereen-toegankelijk.htm
◎Major Dutch publisher abandons DRM(The Bookseller 2013/1/14付け記事) http://www.thebookseller.com/news/major-dutch-publisher-abandons-drm.html
◇Fighting Digital Piracy Means More ebook Sales
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/fighting-digital-piracy-means-more-ebook-sales/
(January 14, 2013 by Arthur Klebanoff Digital Book World)
All of us in the ebook community know intuitively that digital piracy is a large and growing problem. But how much do we actually know about it?
If you search online for a popular title, you are likely to find several examples of unauthorized free downloads. If you send “takedown” notices to those sites, you may do reasonably well stopping the free download for the title ? at least for a while.
Is this how to measure the extent of digital piracy and how to enforce against it? Unfortunately, the answer is an emphatic no.
If someone adept at searching can find, say, ten unauthorized sites, a sophisticated Web based service might find hundreds of such sites. Even if you could locate the illegal sites (which you can’t), compliance with takedown notices will be limited. The cost of issuing a blizzard of takedown notices and the follow up will be prohibitive.
Sooner rather than later the illegal practices will be back in full force. A core problem is ongoing enforcement.
On one agent project, a prominent publisher spent over $100,000 with an excellent law firm trying to clean up extensive digital piracy. They were successful ? but only for a short period of time. Of course, the interest in spending the next $100,000 to protect one property just wasn’t there.
So what do you as publisher, as agent or as author do?
At RosettaBooks, we retained Attributor (Digimarc Attributor’s Guardian software) to protect our entire ebook catalog. In the early months, the number of successful takedowns was very large, particularly for bestselling titles, since this was the first enforcement. Even more interesting, the number of takedowns in later months was steady ? without the service the same level of piracy would have been back within a few months.
Working with our colleagues at Digimarc Guardian, we wrote a case study which highlights how we track some of our bestselling titles against the takedown experience. Please click here to read it for yourself. What we found was that those titles grew in sales faster than our catalog as a whole and much faster than industry averages. Those readers who find the illegal sites downloading titles for free are also the best targeted readers to download the titles for money if the free experience is no longer available. If you’re interested in learning more, I will be presenting on this topic at this week’s Digital Book World event. The case study presentation is Thursday, January 17th at 10 AM. I would enjoy seeing you there!
Early on RosettaBooks committed to full catalog protection. Agents and authors should be demanding of their publishers that they all commit to full catalog protection. It is a fiduciary responsibility to the author for all titles, print and digital. Enforcement will yield economic benefits to the publisher and the author.
◇Ophan Works: Library Copyrights Alliance Submits Comments to US Copyright Office
http://blogs.ifla.org/acd/2013/01/21/ophan-works-library-copyrights-alliance-submits-comments-to-us-copyright-office/
(January 14, 2012 ACD Blog, by IFLA Acquisition & Collection Development Section)
≪ Read about ACD’s Electronic resource guide in the Finnish press!Aaron Swartz Obituary ≫
LCA Submits Comments to US Copyright Office Regarding Orphan Works NOI
The Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) filed comments (PDF) with the US Copyright Office in response to their October 22, 2012, Notice of Inquiry (NOI) about the current state of play with orphan works and mass digitization. The Copyright Office is seeking comments on orphan works regarding “what has changed in the legal and business environments during the past few years that might be relevant to a resolution of the problem and what additional legislative, regulatory, or voluntary solutions deserve deliberation.”
◇「私たちはまだ図書館を必要としているのか?」 New York Timesによる問題提起とそれへの応答
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22686
(2013年1月11日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
2012年12月27日に米New York Timesが“Libraries See Opening as Bookstores Close”という記事を掲載しています。記事は、地域の書店が閉店するなかで、公共図書館がこれまで書店の担っていた役割を引き継ぐべく、以前よりも利用者中心のサービスを実施するようになったことを紹介したものです。
そしてNew York Timesは、この記事に基づいて、このような方向性は正しいのか、図書館は何のためのもので、どのようにあるべきなのかと、図書館のあり方について問題提起をしています。同紙のウェブサイト“Room for Debate”には、これに寄せられた図書館員等からの議論が掲載されています。
◎Do We Still Need Libraries? (New York Timesの“Room for Debate”) http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/12/27/do-we-still-need-libraries
◎Libraries See Opening as Bookstores Close (New York Times 2012/12/27付けの記事) http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/28/us/libraries-try-to-update-the-bookstore-model.html
◇Author Services Site Lulu Moves Toward DRM-Free; But Is It What Authors Want?
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/author-services-site-lulu-moves-toward-drm-free-but-is-it-what-authors-want/
(January 9, 2013 by Jeremy Greenfield Digital Book World)
Self-publishing site Lulu has announced that it will no longer offer digital rights management (DRM) as an option for its authors for books created and sold on Lulu (for books created on Lulu and sold elsewhere, they will still be subject to DRM; also, hat-tip to Laura Owen at paidContent).
While well-informed readers and much of the digerati in the book publishing world are anti-DRM and may be lauding this move as another chink in the armor of DRM. Add it to other recent developments:
June: Macmillan announced it would sell DRM-free books directly to readers through its store at Tor.com
June: IPG-distributed publishers decide to sell DRM-free in the wake of an Amazon lockout
Oct.: HarperCollins dabbles in DRM-free ebooks through a social reading experiment
Oct.: A wave of anti-DRM sentiment briefly sweeps readers in the wake of a story (that turned out to be a bit overblown) about an Amazon customer who lost her library
Nov.: Wiley decides to sell 3,000 of its titles DRM-free through the O’Reilly DRM-free ebook store
But what do authors ? Lulu’s customers ? think?
According to a recent survey conducted by Digital Book World and Writer’s Digest (also owned by F+W Media) of nearly 5,000 authors, Lulu might have made a mistake. More than any other position, authors are generally in favor of DRM.
We asked them the following question:
What should be done about Digital Rights Management (DRM) software? [DRM is technology that limits access to files and is used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, and other copyright holders to limit the use of digital content. DRM prevents consumers from making as many copies of an ebook as they want and then giving them away.]
And gave them the following choices (% for each answer in parentheses):
DRM should be strengthened ? ebook piracy is a problem that should be combated aggressively (32%)
DRM should be left alone ? it’s fine the way it is (11%)
DRM should be changed ? it needs to be more flexible to allow more readers to share ebooks (16%)
DRM should be abolished ? it prevents readers from sharing books and it doesn’t prevent piracy (11%)
No opinion (30%)
About a third of authors are for actually strengthening DRM (red bar) and a total of 43% want it either strengthened or left alone. Only 11% want what Lulu has given them.
When you look at which kinds of authors (aspiring, self-published, traditionally published, both self- and traditionally published and all published [meaning adding up the latter three categories]) have what position, “aspiring” authors (those who haven’t published a book in any form) are least in favor of strengthening DRM at 29%. Of all published authors, 35% want it strengthened, with 39% of traditionally published authors holding that view.
That said, outside of the view that it should be strengthened (or no opinion at all), the second most-popular view was that it should be changed to be more flexible. Abolishing DRM was among the least popular views ? except, surprisingly, among authors who have been both self-published and traditionally published. Nearly a quarter of them wanted it abolished.
At Digital Book World Conference + Expo next week, in a session entitled The Authors’ View of the Industry we will be presenting the findings of our author survey, including the answer to questions about how much authors blog and use social media, what their goals are in writing, what they think of agents, ebooks in libraries, publishers and more! Register here.
◇電子書籍革命から5年、根強い紙書籍の人気
http://jp.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324890804578229060733893492.html
(2013年 1月 08日 19:06 JST By NICHOLAS CARR WSJ.com)
電子書籍は急成長を遂げたが、販売の勢いは減速している。製本されたパリッとした紙をめくる感覚に読者はまだ愛着があるようだ。
2012年の調査で、実際に電子書籍を購入した米国人はわずか16%であることが明らかになった
米ネット通販大手アマゾン・ドット・コムが人気の電子書籍端末「Kindle(キンドル)」を5年前に発売して以来、専門家らは書籍出版の未来はデジタル化だとみていた。どのくらいのスピードで紙離れが進むかについては意見は分かれていた。だが、デジタル化の波は音楽や写真、地図を経て、いずれ書籍の分野にまで訪れるだろう、という点に関しては意見は一致していた。2015年までには従来の書籍は消滅するだろうとの予想を数年前に示していたメディア通もいた。
しかし、電子書籍革命から5年たち、従来の書籍の未来に突如明るい光が差し込み始めている。ハードカバー本が意外な回復力をみせている一方で、電子書籍の販売の伸びは著しく鈍化している。また、用途が多様なタブレット端末を選ぶ人が増えるに従って、電子書籍端末の販売台数も減っている。電子書籍は最終的に、紙の書籍に取って代わるのではなく、オーディオブックのように従来の書籍を補う役割を果たすようになるのもしれない。
米国人が従来の書籍にどの程度愛着を持っているかは、米調査機関ピュー・リサーチ・センターが先月公表したデータを見れば分かる。それによると、電子書籍を読んでいる成人の割合は過去1年で16%から23%にやや増えた。しかし、本を習慣的に読む人の実に89%が過去1年に紙の書籍を少なくとも1冊は読んだと答えている。過去1年に電子書籍を1冊は読んだと回答した人はわずか30%だった。
さらに、米出版社協会のデータによると、電子書籍売上高の伸び率は12年に突如34%前後にまで下がった。依然堅調なペースではあるものの、過去数年の3桁の伸びに比べると大きな落ち込みだ。
電子書籍が当初爆発的に売れたのは例外的事象だったのかもしれない。その新技術をいち早く受け入れた人たちは、数は少ないが熱狂的だったため、電子書籍への移行は急速に短い期間で進んだ。しかし、さらなる移行は今後難しくなるだろう。米調査会社ボウカー・マーケットリサーチの12年の調査によると、電子書籍を実際に購入したと答えた米国人はわずか16%で、59%もの人が電子書籍の購入には「関心がない」と回答している。
一方、電子書籍の売り上げを鈍化させている原因の1つに、電子書籍からタブレットへの移行が考えられる。米調査会社IHSアイサプライの推計によると、電子書籍端末の12年の売上高が36%減少する一方で、タブレット端末の売上高は急増した。米アップルの「iPad(アイパッド)」やアマゾンの「KindleFire(キンドル・ファイア)」といったタブレット端末でゲームや動画、フェイスブックなどの交流サイトが手軽に楽しめるようになったことで、電子書籍の魅力は大きく失われた。また、電子書籍は読み終わったあとに再販したり、誰かにあげることができないという事実も、読者にとって商品価値を損なうことになった。
しかし、電子書籍の成長鈍化の裏にあるこれらの理由に加え、もっと根本的な原因が関係しているのではないか。つまり、われわれは電子書籍の性質を見誤っていた可能性がある。
当初から電子書籍の売れ筋はフィクションに大きく偏っており、販売される電子書籍の3分の2が小説だ。電子書籍のベストセラーは特にスリラーや恋愛といったジャンル小説がほとんどを占めている。電子書籍端末での読書には、従来スーパーマーケットや空港で販売されてきた大衆市場向けペーパーバックのような軽い娯楽性の高い読み物がとりわけ向いているようだ。
そのようなペーパーバックは最も読み捨てしやすく、当初からそれを想定して作られている。さっと読めて、読み終えたらもう手元に置いておく必要のない本だ。中には読んでいるのを見られると少し恥ずかしい内容のものもあり、そのような本は他人にタイトルが見られることのない電子書籍で読む方がなおさらいい。電子書籍が存在しなければ、官能小説『Fifty Shades of Grey』が爆発的にヒットすることも恐らくなかっただろう。
文芸小説や事実を物語風にまとめたノンフィクションなどもう少し重い読み物の読者は、電子書籍にあまり移行したがらない。そうした読者には、依然われわれが「本物の本」と呼んでいる棚に並べられる書籍の、あの重さや耐久性、紙の感触が好まれているようだ。
つまり、電子書籍は別の形態の、さらに軽くて読み捨て可能なペーパーバックとして利用される可能性があるということだ。これは、電子書籍を買い始めたからといって、必ずしも紙の書籍の購入をやめてしまうわけではないという調査結果とも一致する。実際、ピュー・リサーチ・センターによると、電子書籍の読者の約90%が依然紙の書籍を読んでいる。紙の書籍と電子書籍はそれぞれ異なる目的を果たしているようだ。
グーテンベルクが活版印刷技術を発明して以来、500年にわたる技術的変化を生き延びてきた紙の書籍は、電子化の猛攻にも耐えるかもしれない。パリッと印刷され、きちんと製本された本には、われわれが簡単に手放すことのできない何かがある。
◇米公共図書館の電子書籍貸出サービスがクリスマスに見せた記録
http://current.ndl.go.jp/node/22657
(2013年1月7日 カレントアウェアネス・ポータル)
OverDrive社の(次世代型)電子書籍サービスを導入している米国の公共図書館で、電子書籍の貸出回数がクリスマスの日に史上最多を記録したと同社が発表しています。特に、iPad、Kindle Fire、Android端末などによる利用が劇的な伸びを見せたということです。そのような図書館の例として、Cuyahoga County Public Library、Pioneer Library System、Hennepin County Library、Mid-Continent Public Libraryという4つの図書館(システム)の貸出回数グラフが紹介されています。例えば、Cuyahoga County Public Libraryについては、クリスマス・イヴには1,760回だったのが、クリスマス当日には2,810回になっています。The Digital Shift誌の記事では、クリスマスに電子書籍リーダーやタブレット端末を入手した利用者が多かったのではないかと推測が述べられています。
◎Next Generation Libraries Generate Record eBook Traffic on Christmas(OverDrive 2012/12/26付けブログ記事) http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2012/12/26/next-generation-libraries-generate-record-ebook-traffic-on-christmas/
◎OverDrive, 3M kick off 2013 with Promising Ebook Developments(The Digital Shift 2013/1/3付け記事) http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2013/01/ebooks/overdrive-3m-kick-off-2013-with-promising-ebook-developments/
◇Will Gutenberg laugh last?
http://www.roughtype.com/?p=2296&utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=Above%20the%20Fold&utm_campaign=Above%20the%20Fold
(JANUARY 1, 2013 ROUGH TYPE)
It has been taken on faith by many, including your benighted scribe, that the future of book publishing is digital, that the e-book will displace the printed codex as the dominant form of the dominant artifact of modern culture. There have been differing views about how fast the shift will happen (quite a few people believe, mistakenly, that it has already happened), and thoughts have varied as well on the ultimate fate of printed books?whether they’ll disappear entirely or eke out a meager living in a mildewed market niche. But the consensus has been that digitization, having had its way with music and newspapers and magazines and photographs and etc., would in due course have its way with books as well.
In my last post, on the triumph of the tablet over the e-reader, I noted the release of a new Pew study on Americans’ reading habits. The title of the report ? “E-book Reading Jumps; Print Book Reading Declines” ? nicely encapsulates, and reinforces, the common wisdom. But if you dig deeper into its pages, you find indications that the picture is not as clear-cut as that title suggests. For one thing, the printed book remains, by far, the preferred format for American book readers. Fully 89 percent of them report that they read at least one printed book over the preceding 12 months. Only 30 percent say they read at least one e-book ? a percentage that, perhaps tellingly, has increased by only a single point since last February, when the survey was last conducted. The study did find that the percentage of American adults who read e-books increased over the past year, while the percentage that read printed books fell, but the changes are modest. E-book readers rose from 16 percent to 23 percent, while printed book readers declined from 72 percent to 67 percent. (The survey’s margin of error is 2.3 percent.) Yes, there’s an ongoing change in reading habits, but it no longer looks like a sea change.
A lot of other data came out during the course of 2012 that also suggests that (a) the growth in e-book sales has slowed substantially and (b) print sales are holding up pretty well. At a conference in March, Bowker released market research showing that, even though just 20 percent of American web users have actually purchased an e-book, e-book sales growth has already “slowed dramatically” from the explosive levels of the last few years and is now settling down at an “incremental” rate. There are, reports Bowker, signs of “some level of saturation” in the e-book market, and, strikingly, the heaviest buyers of e-books are now buying more, not fewer, printed books. The Association of American Publishers recently reported that annual growth in adult e-book sales dropped to 34 percent during the first half of 2012, a sharp falloff from the triple digit gains of the previous few years. As of August, e-book sales represented 21 percent of total sales of adult trade books. While e-book sales seem to be eating away at mass-market paperback sales, which have been falling at around a 20 percent annual clip, hardcover sales appear to be holding steady, increasing at about a 2 percent annual rate.
Big publishers have also been reporting a sharp slowdown in e-book sales growth, with a Macmillan representative saying last month that “our e-book business has been softer of late, particularly for the last few weeks, even as the number of reading devices continues to grow.” It’s hardly a surprise that the growth rate of e-books is dropping as the sales base expands ? indeed, it’s inevitable ? but the recent decline seems considerably more abrupt than expected.
Children’s e-books were growing at a strong 250 percent clip early last year (from a much lower base), but printed children’s books were also showing strong growth, with hardcover sales rising at an annual rate of nearly 40 percent. In fact, the total sales growth of printed children’s books exceeded that of electronic copies. Meanwhile, printed books showed strong sales over the holidays, with unit sales in the U.S. up 5 percent over 2011 levels. In the U.K., sales of printed books reached their highest level in three years during the week before Christmas. Combine all these numbers with the fact that sales of dedicated e-readers are falling sharply, and suddenly it seems possible that reports of the death of the codex may have been exaggerated.
So why might e-books fall short of expectations? Here are some possibilities:
1. We may be discovering that e-books are well suited to some types of books (like genre fiction) but not well suited to other types (like nonfiction and literary fiction) and are well suited to certain reading situations (plane trips) but less well suited to others (lying on the couch at home). The e-book may turn out to be more a complement to the printed book, as audiobooks have long been, rather than an outright substitute.
2. The early adopters, who tend also to be the enthusiastic adopters, have already made their move to e-books. Further converts will be harder to come by, particularly given the fact that 59 percent of American book readers say they have “no interest” in e-books, according to the Bowker report.
3. The advantages of printed books have been underrated, while the advantages of e-books have been overrated.
4. The early buyers of e-readers quickly filled them with lots of books, most of which have not been read. The motivation to buy more e-books may be dissipating as a result. Novelty fades.
5. The shift from e-readers to tablets is putting a damper on e-book sales. With dedicated readers, pretty much the only thing you can do is buy and read books. With tablets, you have a whole lot of other options. (To put it another way: On an e-reader, the e-reading app is always running. On a tablet, it isn’t.)
6. E-book prices have not fallen the way many expected. There’s not a big price difference between an e-book and a paperback. (It’s possible, suggests one industry analyst, that Amazon is seeing a plateau in e-book sales and so is less motivated to take a loss on them for strategic reasons.)
None of this means that, in the end, e-books won’t come to dominate book sales. My own sense is that they probably will. But, as we enter 2013, I’m considerably less confident in that prediction than I was a few years back, when, in the wake of the initial Kindle surge, e-book sales were growing at 200 or 300 percent annually. At the very least, it seems like the transition from print to electronic will take a lot longer than people expected. Don’t close that Gutenberg parenthesis just yet.
UPDATE: A new version of this post was published as an article in the January 5 edition of the Wall Street Journal with the headline “Don’t Burn Your Books ? Print Is Here to Stay.” (The headline writer is a bit more definitive in his assessment than I am, but that’s not unusual.)