This presentation was provided by Ted Koppel of Auto-Graphics, Inc., during the NISO event "Digital Resources: Working with Formats Beyond Serials," held March 4 - 6, 2008.

1. Defining E-books:Defining E-books:
Trying to Pin Down a Moving TargetTrying to Pin Down a Moving Target
Ted KoppelTed Koppel
ILS Product Manager, Auto-Graphics, Inc.ILS Product Manager, Auto-Graphics, Inc.
NISO Digital Reference ForumNISO Digital Reference Forum

2. Henry Miller said it well:Henry Miller said it well:
Confusion is a word we have inventedConfusion is a word we have invented
for an order which is not understood.for an order which is not understood.
Henry Miller (1891Henry Miller (1891––1980), U.S. author. Tropic of Capricorn,1980), U.S. author. Tropic of Capricorn, ““On the OvarianOn the Ovarian
Trolley: An Interlude,Trolley: An Interlude,”” (1938).(1938).

3. Trying to Define E-booksTrying to Define E-books
•• Good luck!Good luck!
•• Industry is in its infancy: ideas, products,Industry is in its infancy: ideas, products,
approaches, companies come and goapproaches, companies come and go
•• Library automation infrastructure tries toLibrary automation infrastructure tries to
manage e-books but current tools reflectmanage e-books but current tools reflect
confusion and immaturityconfusion and immaturity
•• Rapidly moving targetsRapidly moving targets

4. Each new e-book variant addsEach new e-book variant adds
complexitycomplexity

5. Many questionsMany questions
•• But very few answers yetBut very few answers yet
How you view e-books depends on what youHow you view e-books depends on what you
are trying to do.are trying to do.

6. Approach #1Approach #1 –– How are they made?How are they made?
•• Based on broad description:Based on broad description:
–– Publisher produced e-booksPublisher produced e-books
–– Mass digitized e-booksMass digitized e-books
–– Locally produced e-booksLocally produced e-books

7. Publisher produced e-booksPublisher produced e-books
•• Scanned copies of originally paper?Scanned copies of originally paper?
•• Scanned,Scanned, OCROCR’’dd, or perhaps re-typeset, or perhaps re-typeset
copies of originally paper documents?copies of originally paper documents?
•• ““Native digitalNative digital”” e-bookse-books
–– Delivered as HTML?Delivered as HTML?
–– Delivered as PDF or other digital formats?Delivered as PDF or other digital formats?

8. Mass digitized e-booksMass digitized e-books
•• Google Books, Open Content Alliance asGoogle Books, Open Content Alliance as
examples, but other projectsexamples, but other projects
•• Digitized from paper from contributingDigitized from paper from contributing
libraries and organizationslibraries and organizations
•• Access, copyright, linking, discovery issuesAccess, copyright, linking, discovery issues

9. Locally produced e-booksLocally produced e-books
•• Often stored / available in institutionalOften stored / available in institutional
repositoriesrepositories
•• [Digitization options as in publisher produced][Digitization options as in publisher produced]
•• Indexing for discovery? Access?Indexing for discovery? Access?
•• Copyright management and permission control?Copyright management and permission control?
•• Long term stability?Long term stability?

10. Approach #2Approach #2 –– How theyHow they’’re foundre found
•• Discovery toolsDiscovery tools
–– Publisher producedPublisher produced –– records in catalog? Ifrecords in catalog? If
youyou’’re luckyre lucky
–– Locally producedLocally produced –– records in catalog, localrecords in catalog, local
effort. Dublin Core? OAI harvesting?effort. Dublin Core? OAI harvesting?
–– Mass digitized: probably no records in catalogMass digitized: probably no records in catalog
unless youunless you’’re a contributor, and even thenre a contributor, and even then ……

11. Approach #3Approach #3 –– How acquiredHow acquired
•• How they areHow they are ‘‘acquiredacquired’’
–– Publisher produced: most often as sets (or packages,Publisher produced: most often as sets (or packages,
like e-journals). Some interesting variations, like:like e-journals). Some interesting variations, like:
•• Quantity subscription where titles rotateQuantity subscription where titles rotate
•• Purchase/access to e-booksPurchase/access to e-books by chapterby chapter
–– Mass digitized: not purchased; access is generallyMass digitized: not purchased; access is generally
open (if offered at all)open (if offered at all)
–– Locally produced: usually local deposit orLocally produced: usually local deposit or
contribution, no chargecontribution, no charge –– but costs the library:but costs the library:
storage, upkeep, maintenance, and stability long termstorage, upkeep, maintenance, and stability long term

12. Approach #4Approach #4 –– Who can use?Who can use?
•• Permissions for UsePermissions for Use
–– Publisher produced: often fairly strict rules on use,Publisher produced: often fairly strict rules on use,
audience, downstream use, etc.audience, downstream use, etc.
–– Open Access: free to use, sometimes rules on re-useOpen Access: free to use, sometimes rules on re-use
and distributionand distribution
–– Locally produced: usually but not always OpenLocally produced: usually but not always Open
access. Who manages the license?access. Who manages the license?
–– Mass digitized: wide openMass digitized: wide open …… except for titles thatexcept for titles that
arenaren’’t.t.

13. Approach #5 - PlatformApproach #5 - Platform
•• Interface and platform environmentsInterface and platform environments
–– Publisher produced: almost always publisherPublisher produced: almost always publisher
hosted: many e-publishers means a highlyhosted: many e-publishers means a highly
diverse and inconsistent set of deliverydiverse and inconsistent set of delivery
platformsplatforms
–– Locally produced: on local IR, more-or-lessLocally produced: on local IR, more-or-less
consistent across mediaconsistent across media

14. Platform EnvironmentPlatform Environment
–– Mass digitizedMass digitized
•• Depends on which mass digitization collection isDepends on which mass digitization collection is
being usedbeing used
•• Snippet view, no view, partial viewSnippet view, no view, partial view

15. Approach #6Approach #6 –– Linking toLinking to
•• OpenURLOpenURL linking to the e-booklinking to the e-book
–– Publisher produced: often, especially if recordPublisher produced: often, especially if record
was added to catalogwas added to catalog
–– Locally produced: often, if record was addedLocally produced: often, if record was added
to catalogto catalog
–– Mass digitized: not easily, new Google BookMass digitized: not easily, new Google Book
APIs helpAPIs help

16. Approach #7Approach #7 –– Managing e-booksManaging e-books
•• Management in the libraryManagement in the library
–– Publisher produced: ERM department or somePublisher produced: ERM department or some
variation of monographic and serials acquisitionsvariation of monographic and serials acquisitions
–– Locally produced: depends on who controls theLocally produced: depends on who controls the
IRIR –– accessioning, de-accessioning, providingaccessioning, de-accessioning, providing
access, hardware and software upkeep andaccess, hardware and software upkeep and
additions, cataloging, etc.additions, cataloging, etc.
–– Mass digitized: maybe.Mass digitized: maybe.

17. I could go on and onI could go on and on ……
•• Many ways to slice and dice the definitionMany ways to slice and dice the definition
of an e-bookof an e-book
••
•• Depends on your point of view and theDepends on your point of view and the
work youwork you’’re trying to dore trying to do

18. Pragmatic approach:Pragmatic approach:
Why does the definition matter?Why does the definition matter?
•• WhatWhat’’s in a name? Does the user care what is E?s in a name? Does the user care what is E?
•• Expectations of print booksExpectations of print books
–– Perpetual ownershipPerpetual ownership
–– Cover to cover vs. discrete parts/snippetsCover to cover vs. discrete parts/snippets
–– Fixed and cite-ableFixed and cite-able
•• Expectations of digital resourcesExpectations of digital resources
–– Available 24x7Available 24x7
–– ManipulableManipulable
–– Current and updatedCurrent and updated
–– TemporalTemporal

19. Real world toolsReal world tools
•• DiscoveryDiscovery
–– GoogleGoogle
–– WorldCatWorldCat andand WorldCatWorldCat LocalLocal
–– Library CatalogsLibrary Catalogs
–– Title level vs. Collection levelTitle level vs. Collection level
–– A to Z listsA to Z lists

20. Tool for e-books can differTool for e-books can differ
•• AccessAccess
–– From citation to full textFrom citation to full text
–– Get ItGet It
–– Link ResolversLink Resolvers
–– xISBNxISBN and other services and standardsand other services and standards
–– ILL and cooperative servicesILL and cooperative services

21. Collection decisionsCollection decisions
•• Just in time vs. just in caseJust in time vs. just in case
–– Title by titleTitle by title
–– Approval plansApproval plans
•• Subject packagesSubject packages
•• Publisher packagesPublisher packages
•• BackfilesBackfiles
•• Open access/Open access/IRsIRs/Open Content Alliance/Open Content Alliance
•• Do you own something you donDo you own something you don’’t manage?t manage?
Do you control something you donDo you control something you don’’t own?t own?

22. Acquiring and ManagingAcquiring and Managing
•• Subscription vs. PurchaseSubscription vs. Purchase
–– Continuation vs. firm orderContinuation vs. firm order
•• Purchase plus maintenancePurchase plus maintenance
–– Firm order plus continuationFirm order plus continuation
•• Multiple vendors and multiple interfacesMultiple vendors and multiple interfaces
–– Locating and ordering specific titlesLocating and ordering specific titles
•• Where does Open Access fit?Where does Open Access fit?

23. Acquiring and ManagingAcquiring and Managing (cont.)(cont.)
•• Perpetual access vs Perpetual ownershipPerpetual access vs Perpetual ownership
–– What happens when you stop paying forWhat happens when you stop paying for
accessaccess
•• Local hosting vs Remote hostingLocal hosting vs Remote hosting
•• LicensingLicensing –– when everything is anwhen everything is an
exceptionexception
•• StaffStaff –– mainstreaming vs. separatemainstreaming vs. separate
streamsstreams

24. ConclusionsConclusions
•• YouYou’’re kidding, right? You were expectingre kidding, right? You were expecting
answers? That saidanswers? That said……
•• There is no one single and immutable definitionThere is no one single and immutable definition
of an e-bookof an e-book ……..
•• As e-books permeate library and user services,As e-books permeate library and user services,
we have to keep these differentiations in mindwe have to keep these differentiations in mind

25. ConclusionsConclusions (cont.)(cont.)
•• Because each of the definitions ties toBecause each of the definitions ties to
management and access activities downstreammanagement and access activities downstream
•• Change is a constant. An agile organization is aChange is a constant. An agile organization is a
must. Volume is only going to increase. Newmust. Volume is only going to increase. New
variants will appear.variants will appear.
•• We must move towards common definitions soWe must move towards common definitions so
that we can move forward to new approachesthat we can move forward to new approaches
and services.and services.

26. Questions?Questions?
Contact information:Contact information:
Ted Koppel,Ted Koppel,
tpk@auto-graphics.comtpk@auto-graphics.com