Penguin & 3M Test eBook Pilot at NYPL & BPL

[tubemonkey]

Here's an interesting twist. We have Penguin partnering with 3M Cloud Library just months after ditching OverDrive. This could be their ticket back into the public libraries.

Big Six publisher Penguin Group, the New York Public Library (NYPL), the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), and 3M Library Systems today announced a pilot project to make Penguin ebooks available to patrons of The New York and Brooklyn public libraries six months after initial publication. The program will begin in August and, if successful, could roll out across the country. The move comes four months after Penguin pulled out of its contract with OverDrive.

[elemenoP]

Interesting article!

>>Nevertheless, the publisher did impose restrictions: in the initial phase, as noted above, ebooks will not be made available to the libraries until six months after initial publication and availability will be for one year, with renewable terms.<<

Instead a number of checkouts limit (like HarperCollins), they can offer a 1 year limit on the license. What if you have the book on hold and there is a long waitlist and the license runs out??

I belong to Brooklyn Public Library and I use their Overdrive lending system all the time. I will try the 3M one when it goes online.

eP

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

I belong to Brooklyn Public Library and I use their Overdrive lending system all the time. I will try the 3M one when it goes online.

With 3M actively pushing into libraries, the checkout process should prove interesting. Will the titles be mixed in one master catalog? or will you need to set up separate accounts and search separate catalogs for each vendor?

When OneClickDigital came to my libraries, I had to set up another account and search a separate catalog for audiobooks. Imagine a library with multiple vendors for both audiobooks and ebooks. Make the process too complicated and people will stop using it.

[PeculiarPooch]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

With 3M actively pushing into libraries, the checkout process should prove interesting. Will the titles be mixed in one master catalog? or will you need to set up separate accounts and search separate catalogs for each vendor?

When OneClickDigital came to my libraries, I had to set up another account and search a separate catalog for audiobooks. Imagine a library with multiple vendors for both audiobooks and ebooks. Make the process too complicated and people will stop using it.

It seems like it would be simpler to have written underneath the book,
Borrow Through: Overdrive (or 3M, which one it's through).

I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to implement.

But, then, this sort of thing has a habit of enjoying being mildly irritating.

[elemenoP]

Right now on the BPL site, Overdrive manages EVERYTHING for their ebook collection, including searching for books. If I do a search on the "regular" BPL site for a book that BPL owns in ebook format, it won't show up there. Conversely, if I do a search on the BPL ebook site for a book that BPL owns in physical format, it won't show up. They are entirely separate. So yes, when there is more than one ebook vendor, it is going to be a big headache. Right now I have the ebook page (the one that is managed by Overdrive) bookmarked. When I go to that page in the future, are the 3M books even going to show up there? Time will tell.

At least NYPL has figured out how to show the ebooks in their regular catalog search.

eP

[gojisube]

Having to search multiple online catalogs is a pain. While many libraries have their OverDrive titles in their regular online catalog, you still have to go the OverDrive site to see if the book is available or not. Very frustrating, particularly to first time users. Many library catalog vendors are working on integrating the OverDrive (and B&T and 3M Cloud and OneClick Digital) into the library online catalog so it will be a bit easier to search. I know SirsiDynix is actively working on this.

The 3M/Penguin test is interesting. I always felt Penguin was madder at OverDrive and Amazon than public libraries.

[elemenoP]

Originally Posted by gojisube

I always felt Penguin was madder at OverDrive and Amazon than public libraries.

Why was Penguin mad at Overdrive and Amazon?

Anyway, competition in the library ebook distribution business can only be a good thing for libraries, especially when Overdrive is increasing licensing fees at a huge rate. Here is a good article about that:

http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org...igital-lending

eP

[gojisube]

There was something about the way Kindle books were loaned that Penguin didn't like. Penguin titles have to be side loaded now onto Kindles, and of course no new titles are available.

[SteveEisenberg]

Looks good. I hope they make that August date -- and seal that Kindle deal.

[kybalion]

Is this system live yet? Or does anyone know when this 3M system will be live for BPL?

[SteveEisenberg]

According to the pull-down menu here, it is now live for the New York Public Library (but not Brooklyn):

http://ebook.3m.com/library/en/patrons/

Book selection is currently tiny -- nothing like the promised full Penguin backlist.

My family has a New York Public Library card, and just borrowed our first 3M book (The Canal Builders: Making America's Empire at the Panama Canal by Julie Greene).

[SteveEisenberg]

Brooklyn Public Library is now live, with a tiny ePub-only selection as in other 3M collections, but different books. Click here:

http://ebook.3m.com/library/en/bpl/

If anyone who lives in New York, or has paid the $50 annual Brooklyn Public Library fee, wants All In: The Education of General David Petraeus by Paula Broadwell, you got it.

P.S. Further checking shows that almost all the books have long wait times, which is a little unusual for BPL. So if you want Broadwell's tome, you got it -- in 145 days. I'm not sure if patrons are waiting in a queue, or waiting to prevent library borrowing from cannibalizing end-reader sales.