[Web4lib] Netlibrary audiobooks (was RE: Overdrive)

[Houghton, Sarah]

I've spoken with people at both Apple, Overdrive, and NetLibrary about
this issue.  I can confirm that both vendors report attempting many
times to work with Apple to produce something that will work on their
computers and devices, but as Karen said--Apple's Digital Rights
Management doesn't play nicely with the others.  

Who knows whether Apple's reasons for this lie in greed (trying to get
their consumers to buy audio books only through iTunes) or in corporate
integrity (why can't everyone else change to fit Apple).  The bottom
line is that Apple's inflexibility is causing an access crisis in
libraries for our digital content.  And until the kids learn to play
well together, that won't change.

Sarah Houghton, Information & Web Services Manager
San Mateo County Library: http://smcl.org 
Librarian in Black: http://www.librarianinblack.net 

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Edelblute [mailto:TEdelblute at anaheim.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 2:59 PM
To: Reynolds, Bess; Carol Bean; web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Netlibrary audiobooks (was RE: Overdrive)

When I talked with the Overdrive people about this, they put the blame
squarely on Apples refusal to allow Overdrive to market something that
was compatible with iPOD.  They told me that since they want to sell
everything through iTunes, they would not cooperate with Overdrive.

Thomas Edelblute
Anaheim Public Library

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Reynolds, Bess
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 1:37 PM
To: Carol Bean; web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Netlibrary audiobooks (was RE: Overdrive)

As a library patron, I have to jump in because I use only Macs at home.
When the New York Public Library announced the availability of audio
downloads I was thrilled. The reality set in when I saw that they were
using software that is only available for Windoze, not to mention
Internet Explorer being the browser of their choice.

What happened to developing for cross platform use? It is
discriminatory.
(This is not a professional issue in my corporate type environment)

Bess