eBook Vendors
One of the dilemmas for public libraries contemplating offering eBooks to their communities is deciphering the numerous pricing models and licence agreements offered by the eBook aggregators. A common practice of aggregators is the requirement that a library enter a multi-year contract. The contracts often specify:
- the set-up fee, generally a one off cost for the customisation of the aggregator’s proprietary platform (library branding), staff training, initial title batch upload and the provision of MARC records and marketing material
- annual solution fees cover the ongoing maintenance of the aggregator’s platform, including upgrades
- the rights and obligations of the library service regarding the provision of eContent to their respective communities; i.e. concurrent licence agreement, membership requirements (geographic parameters), permissible method of authentication, ownership of titles and the right to transfer content to third party platforms.
Please note: the following eContent vendor information is sourced from a combination of the Colorado Library Consortium eBook matrix ( http://clicweb.org/aspencat-ebooks-compare), eBook vendors and NSW Public Libraries. Please notify Ross Balharrie if your service has recently subscribed to or cancelled a service and the information on this website does not reflect these developments. NSW.net intends to collate data on the ease of set-up and the quality of the end user experience for each platform.
If you are approached by a vendor regarding an eLending platform not listed in this section please contact Ross Balharrie
