News and Events
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Amigos Receives Texas Grant for SimplyE
On August 7, 2017, Amigos Library Services was notified that their proposal submitted for the Texas State Library & Archives Commission Cooperation Grant was accepted. Funding from this grant will support their work in assisting public libraries interested in implementing the SimplyE app.
SimplyE is an open source ereading platform developed by libraries for libraries. In short, it simplifies your library users experience finding, borrowing and reading an ebook from the library. Developed using ReadersFirst principles, it makes borrowing ebooks from a library easy and quick, hiding the DRM frustrations from the patron.
Amigos had already received funding from the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records to begin work on the technical infrastructure necessary to support public libraries. This grant from the Texas State Library & Archives Commission gives Amigos Library Services the ability to create a stable service for not only our members, but other libraries interested in the app, but without the technical resources to implement the app themselves.
Christine Peterson will be scheduling webinars focused on the functionality and development of the app in the fall. Watch for these to be announced through our Amigos Now newsletter. If you are interested in helping with this project, contact Christine at peterson@amigos.org or 800-843-8482, ext. 2891.
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Thanks, Bibliotheca: We Can’t Do It Without You!
We are always delighted to report when a publisher or library vendor steps forward to make the library e-content experience even better. With profound thanks, then, we give a shout out to Tom Mercer of Cloud Library (Bibliotheca). Tom has been very supportive of SimplyE which as since been adopted by NYPL, Brooklyn Public Library, and will be coming soon to the states of Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, the multi-state network of Minitex, and huge swaths of California and Texas. When approached about an important development in the app—how to serve audiobook content from Cloud Library--Tom Mercer came to NYPL and brought his expert cadre of folks so they could understand what SimplyE is proposing and how they could be of support. A big thanks, too, to Findaway, a third party service provider of audiobook content for both Bibliotheca and Baker & Taylor. Ralph Lazaro, Findaway VP of Digital Products, joined Tom to learn more and see how they could support this advance. Not only was this visit and discussion promising, but Bibliotheca, working with Findaway, have responded with prompt action, extending their APIs and providing engineering support to SimplyE. We are that much closer to integrating e-audio into the app, allowing a full range of content from many library vendors into a single app, simplifying and improving the experience for libraries and their users.
Equally supportive are Michael Bills and Livia Bitner of Baker & Taylor, who have been receptive to SimplyE and highly supportive in related SimplyE efforts like Open eBooks. We look forward to Baker & Taylor taking action soon. Thanks, as well, to Recorded Books for making RB Digital audiobook content work with the app, while supporting Connecticut’s related eGO platform. Tom, Ralph, Bibliotheca, and Findaway - a tip of our library hat to you for Finding-A-Way to move forward, and putting the Reader (and Listener) First! Libraries rely upon partnerships with vendors to enhance service with us, and you have won today.
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BiblioLabs has released its OPDS compatible gateway for SimplyE!
A big shout out to Mitchell Davis and his team at BiblioLabs. As consortia and state libraries began planning their implementations of SimplyE, many wondered what they would do with their Biblioboard platform investment. As usual Mitchell and his team were eager to explore how they could help improve the eBook user experience for ebook readers using libraries. The BiblioLabs team stepped up to make the integration of their collections part of the mainstream catalog of e-content available in SimplyE by publishing their catalog using their Open Publication Distribution System (OPDS) protocol which SimplyE is built on. On behalf of the libraries around the country looking to improve their ebooks users experience and library ebook services with SimplyE, thank you Mitchell and the rest of the Biblioboard team for continuing to invest in the future of libraries.
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Subway Library
For riders of the subway in New York City, they now can enjoy free ebooks from the library for a limited time. As part of a collaboration between the MTA, MTA Wireless and New York's City's public libraries, riders were introduced to MTA's system wide Wi Fi service with a free library of books they could read on their daily commute. The limited time service was also a debut of the the SimplyE Web reader which supports offline reading of EPUBs in a user's mobile or pc web browser. For those who enjoyed reading free books on the subway they were also invited to download the mobile app for their iOS or Android device so they could access even more titles. If just visiting the city they could still download the app and access a large collection of books free for anyone to read. It is now easier than ever to take the Library with you, whether you're at home, on your commute, or enjoying the summer at the beach. You can download the the initial release of SimplyE for iPhone/iPad or Android, login with your library card credentials, and start reading.
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We have a new logo and so much more!
SimplyE, the library ereading app, just released version 2.0 which not only sports a new logo, but a collection of free for anyone to read books called The SimplyE Collection. This collection of classics is expected to grow over time to include more contemporary works as well as excerpts, short stories and more. You don't need a library card to read them either. But if you do have a library card, stay tuned. SimplyE 2.0 is a multi-library app which allows users to add other libraries to the app if they belong to more than one library or who have access to shared collections from their state or library consortia. For example, New Yorkers who have a Brooklyn Public Library card can now access their rich collection of ebooks as well in SimplyE. It is now easier than ever to take the Library with you, whether you're at home, on your commute, or enjoying the summer at the beach. You can download the the initial release of SimplyE for iPhone/iPad or Android, login with your library card credentials, and start reading.
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Introducing SimplyE: 300,000 E-Books to Browse, Borrow, and Read
The New York Public Library just released SimplyE, a new app that gives NYPL cardholders the ability to browse, borrow, and read more than 300,000 e-books from the Library’s collections in just a few easy steps. It is now easier than ever to take the Library with you, whether you're at home, on your commute, or enjoying the summer at the beach. You can download the the initial release of SimplyE for iPhone/iPad or Android, log in with your NYPL card barcode and PIN, and start reading.
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At Google I/O, the annual conference for developers, Google announced that Android apps will be coming to Chromebooks
...The Android app Open eBooks will be available on Chromebooks soon, and is part of the White House ConnectED Initiative. Stacy Kinney, a Librarian and Media Specialist at O.A. Fleming Elementary in Freeport, TX, used Open eBooks to “put otherwise costly books into the hands of our children.” Stacy’s school is a Title One campus. “I value the Open eBook app because it makes quality, appealing books accessible to my students and their families.”
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NYPL ebook app containing Recovering the Classics covers!
On Friday, May 29th The Creative Action Network held a popup gallery in the Salomon Room of the New York Public Library to celebrate the upcoming launch of the new NYPL ebook app containing Recovering the Classics covers! With the help of our wonderful partners at NYPL, the National Book Foundation, the Digital Public Library of America (and many more) we were able to put on a great event in one of the nicest rooms we'd ever been in. It was attended by several hundred people in media and publishing -- including the chief operating officer of Macmillan's trade division, an executive vice president of The New York Times, and many folks attending the BookExpo America convention.
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European Digital Reading Lab Established in Europe
The Readium Foundation is delighted to announce the establishment of their European Headquarters in Paris hosted by the recently created European Digital Reading Lab (EDRLab) which has been formed with the support of the French government and industry stakeholders, with 1.5 million Euros of incremental funding already committed.
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Executives from Deutsche Telekom, IBM and Mantano Join Readium Foundation Board
The members of Readium Foundation recently elected three new directors to its expanded board. Joining the 9-member board are Simon Peter (Deutsche Telekom), David Boloker (IBM), and Jean-Marie Geffroy (Mantano), who led an exceptionally strong field of 10 candidates.
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Spreading the Joy of Reading to More Children and Young Adults
Every child deserves the chance to learn and thrive in an environment that is enriched by the latest technology. Two years ago President Obama announced ConnectED, a signature initiative focused on transforming teaching and learning through digital connectivity and content. Today, building on the progress made to date, at the Anacostia Library in Washington, D.C., the President will announce two new efforts to strengthen learning opportunities by improving access to digital content and to public libraries: new eBooks commitments and the ConnectED Library Challenge...
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ALA Annual 2016 - Orange County Convention Center, 9800 International Dr. Orlando, FL 32819
Join us Friday, June 24 from 12-2 in the Networking Uncommons for the DPLA Ebook Working Group open house. This meeting is open to all librarians curious about current issues, ongoing projects, and ways to get involved. Attendees will learn how the Ebook Working Group fits in with other library ebook groups, and explore the projects we currently work on, including the Library E-content Access Project (LEAP), SimplyE/Open eBooks, Simplye E for Consortia, Readers First and other library-created ebook projects. Current members of the working groups will have the opportunity to meet and share updates, and connect with potential new members.
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ALA Annual 2015 - Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA
Library Simplified will be at a PLA public session on Library Simplified, Saturday June 27 2015, 1030-11:30am, Moscone Convention Center, Room 2004, West Building.
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Reaching the three-click goal By Robert C. Maier
What if our patrons could get to the ebooks of their choice in just three clicks? Click once to discover, click twice to download, and the third click to read. Does this sound like science fiction? Well, we may know soon...
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DPLAFest 2015 | Clowes Auditorium, Indianapolis Public Library - Indianapolis, Indiana
Library Simplified will be participating in a series of discussion regarding ebooks and a national strategy. The purpose of the event is to have a series of creative, problem solving conversations with a goal of framing a national strategy and identifying existing infrastructure. Working Groups are as follows: eBook Working Group: What Are Others Doing? Special Collections Room, Indianapolis Public Library (Central) Participants in the Sloan-sponsored Ebook working group will present out on their respective projects, setting the stage for a later session on how DPLA can impact this sector. eBook Working Group: How Can DPLA Make An Impact? Building on the discussion of current activities in the ebook marketplace, participants will spend the afternoon identifying components required working elements in order to launch a national strategy, build a prototype platform and open collections, and where the DPLA can provide support and leverage. Ebooks, Libraries, and DPLA Participants in this session will review the ebook landscape for both public and academic libraries. This session will include a recap of the Sloan-funded ebook conversation from the previous day and identify breakout topics and groups to continue moving the conversations to action.
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METRO'S 2015 Conference 2015 at Baruch College New York, New York
Library Simplified will provide an information session to libaries interested in learning more how they can help support 3 click or less acces to eBooks.
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ALA Midwinter 2015 | McCormick Place West - Networking Uncommons, Chicago IL
Library Simplified will provide an information session to libaries interested in learning more how they can help support 3 click or less acces to eBooks.
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Library Simplified - James English Project Gutenberg books are real books - Leonard Richardson
Library Simplified presented at Books in Browsers 2014 to provide industry leaders how NYPL and partner libraries across the country are testing innovative library policies and practices with funding from IMLS while adopting new technologies in order to create improved user experiences borrowing eBooks from Libraries. Additionally, application architect, Leonard Richardson, will present Project Gutten books are real books - Synopsis: Although Project Gutenberg provides a good amount of RDF metadata for each of its publications, the metadata most necessary to grab a modern reader’s attention–a summary and a nice-looking cover–is almost always missing. Without putting restrictions on Project Gutenberg, which is extraordinarily successful at what it does, how can we present its results in a way that appeals to our patrons and customers?
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The Changing Landscape of Ebooks and how Libraries are Getting in the Game
Readium Foundation Board member and Product Owner of the Library Simplified Initiative, James English at NYPL (New York Public Library) spoke at a recent ALA meeting about the EPUB Platform and Readium Open Source Initiative, during a seminar presented by NISO and BISG. Here, he outlines the nature of the Library Simplified project and explains the reasons for collaboration between libraries and the standards industry..
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Library Simplified Works on Three-Click Access for Library Ebooks
Library ebook transactions remain too lengthy and complicated for patrons, especially in comparison with consumer ebook transactions, James English, product manager for the Library Simplified project at the New York Public Library (NYPL) said during his “EPUB: Walled Gardens and the Readium Foundation” presentation at the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Eighth Annual Forum, held June 27 in conjunction with the American Library Association (ALA) 2014 Annual Conference.
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Legislation Authorizes State Library to Create E-Book Platform
Legislation Authorizes State Library to Create E-Book Platform Governor Dannel P. Malloy today signed P.A. 14-82, An Act Concerning a State-wide Platform for the Distribution of Electronic Books, authorizing the State Library to create and maintain a state platform for the distribution of electronic books (e-books) to public library patrons. The bill was passed in response to legislation Governor Malloy signed last year that commissioned the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) to study how Connecticut’s public libraries could gain fairer access to e-books.
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Internet Librarian 2014 | Library Simplified presents “Evolving Ebook Models.”
Library Simplified will present on the panel “Evolving Ebook Models.” The track will address ebook models and practices from North America and the U.K. Get ideas, insights, and strategies for dealing with ebooks and e-resources in your environment.
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ALA Midwinter | Pennsylvania Convention Center, Room PCC-117
Library Simplified will participate in a town hall discussion with the leading library industry companies/executive to address a vision for an emerging "Library Content Services Model" fulfilled by cross-industry interoperability among Library Management Services platforms and other ILSs, Content Providers, and Discovery Services.
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Open Book Hack Weekend | The New York Public Library
Library Simplified with NYPL Labs, Readium Foundation, O’Reilly Media, Perseus Books, Hypothes.is, Google, and Datalogics for Open Book Hack Weekend at the New York Public Library (at 42nd Street) are hosting a digital book open source and content development event to promote HTML5, EPUB, and the Open Web Platform to improve the reading expereince. Participants brought their energy, hacking skills, software/content and ideas for projects. Through self-organizing teams they pursued creative app/service/content hacks to help us imagine the future of digital books, and advance the open source and open API building blocks needed for the diverse ecosystem of authors, designers, developers, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and readers
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Readium Foundation Elects Board of Directors
The members of Readium Foundation (Readium.org), an independent open source consortium developing software to advance adoption of EPUB and the Open Web Platform for publishing, have elected a representative Board of Directors. The initial directors and their affiliations are: Micah Bowers - Bluefire, Pierre Danet - Hachette, Jim Dovey - independent, James English - New York Public Library (NYPL), Bente Franck-Saetervoll - Bokbasen, Hadrien Gardeur - Feedbooks, and Bill McCoy - International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). The directors subsequently elected initial officers including Bill McCoy (President), Micah Bowers (Secretary), and Bente Franck-Saetervoll (Treasurer). This initial election featured very strong participation. Out of forty member organizations, fifteen candidates self-nominated for positions and over 90% of member organizations cast votes. The seven candidates receiving the most votes were elected. See full press release here.
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Sacramento Bee
Sacramento Public Libary The library is participating in a nationwide program called Library Simplified, whose goal is to “reduce the barriers that keep patrons from utilizing the services libraries offer,” including all things electronic. Full story here..
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Kent District Library to Partner with New York Public Library, Others, to Improve eBook Access to Libraries
With print books and electronic versions now available for free checkout from your local library, do you still find it easier to buy those materials? Would you switch to an eReader if you could just figure out how to download from the library’s website? Want to borrow eBooks but don’t want to have to go to a library branch for a card first?
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IMLS Grant Awarded to The New York Public Library
Grant Program: National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program Category: Advancing Digital Resources Award Amount: $500,000
New York Public Library (NYPL) will use its grant to collect and analyze data on user experiences; identify opportunities for improvements; and design, test, and employ new tools, which will be made available to other libraries. The project addresses the need for evolving access as technology changes. The rapid transformation brought on by the electronic information age has a created a critical moment in which libraries across the country must find ways to ensure democratic access to books, ideas, and information, regardless of format. The project will be supported by a large group of partner libraries and technical advisors and is aligned with the Readers First movement, which is dedicated to ensuring that library patrons have access to both virtual and physical collections. NYPL will test innovative library policies and practices while adopting new technologies in order to create improved patron experiences, with the goals of building new audiences and increasing the use of electronic collections.
