Peter Brantley at PWxyz reports that Califa, a library cooperative servicing much of California, has announced that it will create and host its own ebook library lending platform instead of using an existing one such as Overdrive, which is the platform used by most libraries. The idea is to purchase the titles directly, when that’s possible, instead of using the “cloud based” platform Overdrive currently uses (Correction: Commenter Jeff Allen notes that Overdrive does NOT use a “cloud based” model- see below). They aren’t expecting to be able to acquire frontlist titles from mainstream publishers, and instead will focus on small and independent presses. That’s kind of cool for those kinds of presses! According to Brantley, though, most independent and small publishers depend on a distributor to package ebooks, and it doesn’t benefit distributors to sell ebooks directly to libraries.
I neither publish, distribute, or purchase ebooks for libraries. I do think it would be great for libraries to have independence from Overdrive, and for independent publishers to get a shot at getting their titles into libraries. So I’m interested to know what you think about this? Is it feasible? Are Brantley’s concerns warranted? Or is this an idea whose time has really come?
jeff allen
April 2, 2012 at 8:51 am
Overdrive currently does not use a “Cloud based” service. Overdrive does not believe that libraries own the content; whereas, 3M’s Cloud Library does use a Cloud based service. 3M does believe in libraries owning the material and does not prevent the library from ever moving their collection. That is one of the fundamental differences between Overdrive and 3M’s Cloud Library. The 3M model is closer to the Califa way of thinking while offering a complete lending service with integration in the ILS.
Kirsten
April 2, 2012 at 10:33 am
Jeff, thanks for the clarification. I’m not completely familiar with all the details of how either Overdrive or 3M’s services work. I do see a lot of ebooks for independent authors and from small specialty presses that can’t afford to pay wholesalers to offer their books come my way for review. The question sometimes arises as to why we review these books for libraries when it’s so hard for libraries to acquire them. It’s possible that the Califa model would make it easier to acquire books from some of these small specialty presses, since my understanding is that Califa does not expect to have frontlist titles and will be paying more attention to small presses. That would be very exciting for many of the publishers we deal with, and, since there are few mainstream imprints that publish horror fiction, would also be very exciting to many horror readers!