Transcript Ebooks and Downloadable audiobooks

Ebooks and Downloadable
audiobooks
Technologies and Trends
Facts and Freebies!
Ebooks and Audiobooks
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Lots of Public Domain stuff!
Library provides free ebooks, but not the
latest releases
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However, we get CDs and print books as quickly
as bookstores.
If you want the newest stuff in a
downloadable format, you will have to
subscribe.
Ebooks and Audiobooks
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Vendors have deals with publishers:
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No vendor has every author or title
This industry is changing constantly
Amazon is on the move:
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Abebooks – large online bookselling site
Shelfari.com
Projects ebook sales of $2.5 billion by 2012
Ebooks
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Ebooks Increase Access to media
Users:
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are not limited to a physical collection
Discover books you didn’t know existed
Ebooks are often searchable: full text
Ebook devices allow large number of books
to be carried in a lightweight package
Digitization/Public Domain
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Digitization projects: Old books are being
scanned into digital editions
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Partnerships between large companies
(Google, Amazon) and numerous university
libraries
Digitization/Public Domain
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These books, across a range of subjects are
available for free (where copyright permits).
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Open Content Alliance (Yahoo, Archive.org)
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fewest restrictions placed on digital books.
Usage Trends – Ebooks
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College textbooks are going digital
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Downloading kiosks (now onto discs)
Government produces ebooks:
http://www.asksam.com/ebooks/
Ebooks are great for professions that need to carry
reference books
Romance Readers Lead the Way!
Google Book Search
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http://books.google.com/
These digitized books are free, in full where
copyright permits
Obscure books made available
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Genealogy: a family history
Ebook providers
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Amazon (for its “Kindle” Reader)
Ebooks.com – Supports multiple formats
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PDF
Mobipocket
Microsoft Reader
EReader.com (free software)
Fictionwise.com – supports multiple formats
Ebook Devices
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Dedicated Ebook Readers
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Amazon Kindle – to be the iPod for electronic
books
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Plays audiobooks (Audible format only)
Uses Cell phone network, no synching with PC
Includes major national and European newspapers
Some 800 blogs
DOES NOT SUPPORT PDF except via translation
Ebook Devices
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Dedicated Ebook Readers
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Kindle Continued
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Adjustable text size
Costs $359
Can email Microsoft Word documents to it
Supports image formats
Supports unprotected ebook formats (.prc and .mobi)
Ebook Devices
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Dedicated Ebook Readers
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Sony Reader
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Similar display features, crisp, paper-like
OPEN DEVICE -- supports ebook formats from other sites,
including PDF
Synchs through the PC,
No blogs, newspapers
Costs $299
Supports MS Word documents
Adjustable text size
Ebook Devices
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Dedicated Ebook Readers
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Ebookman–
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FUB format
Not paper-like display
Costs about $175
Support audiobook playback (Audible format—can’t use
NetLibrary)
Ebook Devices
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On a PDA or Palm
Some PDA cellphones/SmartPhones
On your PC – the new “Netbooks” – cheap, tiny
PCs, offer full PC functionality.
Application for iPhone
Ebook Formats
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Portable Document Format (.pdf)
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open standard
Text files (.txt)
MobiPocket (.prc)
eReader.com (.pdb )
Microsoft Reader (.lit)
Kindle format (AZW)
Ebookman (FUB)
Downloadable Audiobooks
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Audible.com (owned by Amazon)
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Subscription Plans
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Netlibrary.com—free
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itunes store.
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Features audiobooks from audible.com
Simplyaudiobooks.com
Audiobook Devices
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Devices
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Mp3 players—many still designed for music, not for
long-form recordings.
iPods – (Audible.com, simplyaudiobooks.com)
Palms/PDAs/Blackberry devices
Some Cell phones:
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Audiofy.com via Verizon WirelessVCAST (from
Verizon) (data plan required)
Audiobook Devices
What you need to know when buying an
mp3 player for audiobooks:
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Memory—nowadays, even the smallest mp3 players
will fit an audiobook, but it may not hold much else.
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Bookmark feature or does it play where you left off?
Audiobook Formats
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AAC Apple/iPod
WMA Windows Media
Mp3 –free sites
Ogg vorbis –free sites
Digital Rights Management
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Flavors
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Strong DRM – cannot copy even from PC to
mobile – some ebook vendors
Weak DRM – allows some copying -- iTunes
No DRM – Amazon music (but not Audible)
Digital Rights Management
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Microsoft Reader has all three flavors:
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Sealed eBooks – can’t alter content
Inscribed eBooks – Attaches the authorized owner’s
name to a copy
Owner Exclusive eBooks – no copying, period.
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Most commercial audiobooks fall in this category
Segments of text cannot be copied to clipboard (which is
legal under fair use—a portion of a work can be legally
copied).
Digital Rights Management
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…and Fair use – restricts ability to copy
things you have paid for.
…is a license to use content: you cannot sell
it.
…can leave you stranded
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WalMart’s DRM server
Major League Baseball
Digital Rights Management
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More DRM-free audiobooks coming to the
commercial audiobook market
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Libraries and library audiobook vendors are
pushing for DRM-free titles
Free ebooks/audiobooks – Guilt-free
shopping for today’s economy!
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Librivox.org – The Machine Stops
www.gutenburg.org -- Plucker ebook
software for Palm
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Different formats
NetLibrary
Archive.org
ibiblio.org
RSS feeds
Free ebooks/audiobooks
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PDF Search Engine
Planetpdf.com
@WPPL: NetLibrary Demo
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NetLibrary / Recorded Books
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Lawsuit cut off additions of titles for awhile
Ebooks cannot be checked out, downloaded, can be
viewed online
Publicly accessible ebooks
@WPPL: NetLibrary Demo
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Audiobooks:
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No iPods – WMA format
Choosing a device
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SmallBytes: Netlibrary tutorial
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Library to hold a “Download Day” in January
In Conclusion
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If you want the latest titles: subscribe, you will have
to buy/rent them, subscribe to a provider.
No one vendor will have every author: Do a little
research.
Decide what device makes the most sense for you
Understand the DRM restrictions related to your
device, and the vendor.
Back up you copies (DRM permitting!)
Explore!
In Conclusion
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And a book is technology, and it was new to
people, too:
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Medieval Tech Support