Librarian's eBook Newsletter

Adobe Content Server for eBooks

At the ALA 2002 Annual Meeting, Adobe announced the availability of the Adobe Content Server 3.0, which contains a library ebook lending module. Some of you may remember that Glassbook, a Massachusetts-based, ebook software company that was purchased by Adobe, developed the concept of a library-lending server for ebooks. The fruition of this Glassbook concept can now be seen in the Adobe Content Server 3.0.

So exactly how does it work? First let me clarify that the Adobe Content Server does a great deal more than library-lending. The system enables the creation, procurement, distribution and digital rights management (DRM) of any PDF file, including ebooks formatted for the Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader software. The library module facilitates flexible check-in and check-out based on expiration dates (due August 3, 2002) or check-out periods (due in two weeks). Expiration rules can be dynamically altered on a title-to-title and patron-to-patron basis, enabling different circulation periods for an ebook checked-out to a faculty member and one checked-out to an undergraduate. The Content Server preserves any DRM usage rules specified by the copyright holder, such as print, copy and read aloud.

Once the patron has checked-out the material, the ebook can then be downloaded and read off-line to any system compatible with the Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader software. At present, the software is Windows (98, NT, 2002, Millennium and XP) and MAC (9.0, 9.1) compatible. This limits downloads to desktops and laptops, but reportedly Palm and PocketPC versions of the software are in the works. Moreover, several portable Windows XP products, including the Microsoft Tablet PC and OQO, the "ultra-personal computer", are due out by the end of the year. Any unencrypted PDF file could be downloaded to any system compatible with the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which currently includes Windows, MAC, PalmOS and PocketPC.

It is not necessary for a library to purchase the Adobe Content Server. Rather, ebook providers, such as ebrary and netLibrary, can license the product on behalf of their library customers. Therefore, it is up to the ebook providers to determine whether their content will be available for library circulation. Kluwer Online eBooks has already incorporated the Adobe Content Server into its collection. Other vendors, such as ebrary, netLibrary, Baker & Taylor and Follett, were present in Adobe's ALA booth to show support for the product, so presumably those companies plan to use the Content Server in the future.

A library might want to purchase the Content Server for itself if it had a large collection of PDF documents that it wished to circulate, such as a large digital library of scanned material. Library licensing of the Content Server costs a one-time fee of $5,000 for up to 250 titles, and $1,000 per additional 500 titles. For more information on the Adobe Content Server 3.0, see http://www.adobe.com/products/contentserver/main.html.



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	Adobe Content Server for eBooks At the ALA 2002 Annual Meeting, Adobe announced the availability of the Adobe Content Server 3.0, which contains a library ebook lending module. Some of you may remember that Glassbook, a Massachusetts-based, ebook software company that was purchased by Adobe, developed the concept of a library-lending server for ebooks. The fruition of this Glassbook concept can now be seen in the Adobe Content Server 3.0. So exactly how does it work? First let me clarify that the Adobe Content Server does a great deal more than library-lending. The system enables the creation, procurement, distribution and digital rights management (DRM) of any PDF file, including ebooks formatted for the Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader software. The library module facilitates flexible check-in and check-out based on expiration dates (due August 3, 2002) or check-out periods (due in two weeks). Expiration rules can be dynamically altered on a title-to-title and patron-to-patron basis, enabling different circulation periods for an ebook checked-out to a faculty member and one checked-out to an undergraduate. The Content Server preserves any DRM usage rules specified by the copyright holder, such as print, copy and read aloud. Once the patron has checked-out the material, the ebook can then be downloaded and read off-line to any system compatible with the Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader software. At present, the software is Windows (98, NT, 2002, Millennium and XP) and MAC (9.0, 9.1) compatible. This limits downloads to desktops and laptops, but reportedly Palm and PocketPC versions of the software are in the works. Moreover, several portable Windows XP products, including the Microsoft Tablet PC and OQO, the "ultra-personal computer", are due out by the end of the year. Any unencrypted PDF file could be downloaded to any system compatible with the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which currently includes Windows, MAC, PalmOS and PocketPC. It is not necessary for a library to purchase the Adobe Content Server. Rather, ebook providers, such as ebrary and netLibrary, can license the product on behalf of their library customers. Therefore, it is up to the ebook providers to determine whether their content will be available for library circulation. Kluwer Online eBooks has already incorporated the Adobe Content Server into its collection. Other vendors, such as ebrary, netLibrary, Baker & Taylor and Follett, were present in Adobe's ALA booth to show support for the product, so presumably those companies plan to use the Content Server in the future. A library might want to purchase the Content Server for itself if it had a large collection of PDF documents that it wished to circulate, such as a large digital library of scanned material. Library licensing of the Content Server costs a one-time fee of $5,000 for up to 250 titles, and $1,000 per additional 500 titles. For more information on the Adobe Content Server 3.0, see http://www.adobe.com/products/contentserver/main.html.

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