Q: Invite comments on the following quote from a letter to WSJ: “Digitalisation and the Internet will eliminate the physical supply change … instead a … deep backlist will … be supplied on demand … and converted to high quality print … an ATM for books”

A: We have to focus on the content – how we get it will change, and we can’t always predict. We care about delivery models, but whether this is ‘e’, ‘print on demand’, ‘acquire on demand’ etc. is not the real issue – it is about content in the end. Aline repeating that she is concerned about the loss of the ‘selection’ model – already seen this with serials.

I’m not sure I agree completely with Aline’s vision of where she thinks we should be, but I do agree that we are likely to see a change in selection models

Q: Around the accessibility of e-books – can the panel comment?

A: Myilibrary is working towards becoming ‘compliant’ (perhaps with Section 508?). The cost of software like ‘JAWS’ means it can make more sense for platforms to develop their own systems. In California they have been told that by 2009 texts have to be compliant, or they can’t buy them

Q: Question about the ‘reading interface’ – lots of people print before reading (first mention of the Kindle in this question – I can’t quite believe that we haven’t discussed this issue yet in this session – around DRM and dedicated devices)

A: Aline says for her users it is about getting content fast, using the bit you want and then moving on. She feels printing is to do with familiarity, and also about what the systems allow – some limit to ‘one page at a time’. Aline also noting that not all users have broadband at home.

Mike saying that the devices that are available have very limited licensing – and not geared towards libraries. We need to work with the device licensors (e.g. Amazon) to work on this.

Laura saying that from the user studies she has seen, that more and more people are becoming comfortable with reading online.

At Ingram preparing for more ‘download’ models for e-books

Q: Libraries rely on vendors to work with publishers on DRM issues. At the moment we have users going to ILL and getting the print, because we are unable to provide access to what they want in an e-format. What are vendors doing to reduce these barriers?

A: Have to work on a publisher-by-publisher basis. Publishers need hand holding through this period of change! Lots of back room stuff as well – e.g. format in which they supply texts to platforms. Caroline saying – Libraries have power and influence – if we act now we can change the way things happen. As the industry matures, the amount of influence we have diminishes – a very good point.

Mike saying we need ways of allowing content to ‘flow’ onto different devices easily (I’m put in mind of the Apple TV -> iPod functionality for movie rental)

A comment from the floor about ‘searchable’ vs ‘readable’ copies – ‘e’ is searchable, ‘p’ is readable.

Q: In music industry DRM going away a bit – are there any trends like this in the ebook market?

A: Aline saying that ebooks are currently very restrictive. How much people ‘clutch’ at DRM is in proportion to how afraid they are. See Caroline’s comments above

Aline also mentioning that many publishers owned by large corps (e.g. Disney). It may take 50 years and large legal costs before we get past this. Need to look to the Open Access movement – scholarly communication is changing. This is an issue we haven’t really discussed today, and touches on the issues around Kindles etc. There is a difference is use between different types of material – you might read a novel on a Kindle, but perhaps less likely to use it for an encyclopaedia? But there is clearly going to be some overlap – e.g. perhaps medical texts where the Dr would traditionally have a book shoved in the pocket of their white coat…?

Q: How to primary book vendors plan to integrate into systems such as SFX and Serials Solutions?

A: Mike struggling with this one – perhaps an indication that not enough discussion/conversation between the book vendors and system suppliers? Although Mike says they are having discussion with Serials Solutions.

I suspect the question really is about the KnowledgeBase, and how this works with e-Books.

OK, that winds that up – time for coffee and a ‘comfort break’!