The article below ("Who Needs Google?") appeared
in Publishers=20
Weekly. It describes a service from a division of
Electronic=20
Newstand called LibreDigital that scans and converts books
and=20
makes them searchable online. Full control of what and how
much=20
is viewable remains with the publisher. Note that this is a
SAAS=20
(Software as a Service) implementation. IT types need not
apply.
This is an important development (assuming the technology=20
works!). This will bring more and more content online,
where it=20
can be found by any well-tuned search engine. I don't much
care=20
for the headline of the article myself, but that is a matter
of=20
taste. It should be said that while LibreDigital (and
other=20
emerging, competing services) does much of what the Google
Print=20
and Library programs proposed to do, it is highly unlikely
that=20
many publishers would have invested in this route if Google
had=20
not put a gun to their head.
Joe Esposito
Who Needs Google?
by Calvin Reid, PW Daily -- 8/22/2006
Current Issue =BB News
Looking to exploit publisher skepticism over
Google's book=20
scanning programs, the developer of the technology behind=20
HarperCollins' newly launched Browse-Inside program is
now=20
offering the service broadly to all book publishers. The=20
LibreDigital Warehouse is a service developed by the
Texas-based=20
firm LibreDigital that allows publishers to offer their
catalogs=20
and titles to online consumers for browsing while
maintaining=20
control over the display and access to content.
Launched earlier this month ("HC Launches
Online Browse=20
Option," PW Daily, Aug. 3), Harper's Browse-Inside
service is=20
similar to Amazon's Search Inside service. Craig Miller,
general=20
manager of LibreDigital, said the company began working
with=20
Harper to address publisher concerns about control of
their=20
copyrights once their content goes online. "We saw the
discussion=20
going on between Google and publishers," said Miller.
In addition=20
to Harper, Miller said the firm is in negotiations with
other New=20
York trade houses to use the LibreDigital Warehouse service
on=20
their own websites.
Miller claimed the LDW gives publishers control over
both=20
the quality of digitization and the display of content
using=20
flexible DRM that gives the reader "a perfect
representation of=20
the book." Miller elaborated: "It's like the
bookstore browsing=20
experience, but allows secure management of online content
and=20
distribution." LibreDigital (Libredigital.com) is a
division=20
NewStand Inc, a company offering digital access to a wide
range=20
of national print publications. The company is also an=20
Application Service Provider, according to Miller, which
means it=20
can deliver LDW technology to publishers over a network,=20
simplifying the implementation of the browsing technology
for=20
publisher-clients. "By working with us," Miller
said, "publishers=20
can assert control of their copyrights online."
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