[Web4lib] Netlibrary audiobooks (was RE: Overdrive)

[Alan Stewart]

I'm de-lurking to weigh in (late, I know) on this thread.  In the
interest of full disclosure, I will note that I am a happy user of Macs
(and only Macs) in my home; I am also happy to be coordinating my
library's implementation of OverDrive's digital audiobook service.  My
opinions are my own, and not my institution's.

I think it's a little unfair to lay all the blame for the compatibility
issues at Apple's feet.  They are probably as greedy as any other
company, but Microsoft doesn't exactly play well with others either --
they are no longer producing Windows Media Player for the Mac, and the
last version they produced only handles DRM at the level of Windows
Media Rights Manager version 1.3 (something that NetLibrary's FAQ,
quoted by John Marquette, makes clearer than OverDrive's corresponding
documentation does).  OverDrive requires download of its OverDrive Media
Console to use its service, and there's no Mac version for that --
probably because they know that the WMA DRM won't work on a Mac anyway.
So as a Mac user, I can't use the service at all, for reasons that don't
really have anything to do with the iPod, iTunes, or Fairplay (at least
not directly).

Just looking for a little balance, here.

Alan Stewart
Electronic Services Coordinator
Memphis Public Library & Information Center
3030 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38111
phone: (901) 415-2856
fax: (901) 323-7108
e-mail: stewarta at memphislibrary.org

-----------------------------------

Date: Tue, 23 May 2006 15:14:43 -0700
From: "Houghton, Sarah" <houghton at plsinfo.org>
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Netlibrary audiobooks (was RE: Overdrive)
To: <web4lib at webjunction.org>
Message-ID:
	<D43EFF79B6F39947ACCA640F17E36C5F03644C5E at srv1.plsinfo.org>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

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
Bess Reynolds
Technical Services Manager
Library
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP

Breynolds [nospam at] debevoise.com

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

[disclaimer snip]

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Carol Bean
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 4:24 PM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Netlibrary audiobooks (was RE: Overdrive)

I've been tracking this out of the corner of my eye also.

Interesting about the Mac.  Do the licensees of Netlibrary audiobooks
out there know how many of their patrons cannot use the product they're
paying for?  Or do we jump in and subscribe because everyone else is?  
On the other hand, who among us is going to refuse a product simply
because it's discriminatory?  But we probably don't want to go there...

Carol Bean
North County Regional Library
Palm Beach County Library System
11303 Campus Drive
Palm Beach Gardens, FL  33410


JOHN MARQUETTE wrote:

>Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 15:56:04 -0500
>From: "Jesse Ephraim" <JEphraim at ci.southlake.tx.us>
>Subject: RE: [Web4lib] RE: Overdrive
><snip>
>
>  
>
>>If Overdrive's business model was like the NetLibrary one (buffet 
>>style), my bet is that we would already have purchased a subscription 
>>and had everything up-and-running.
>>    
>>
>
>I've been tracking this out of the corner of my eye, and it brings up 
>the issue of Mac marginalization.  As far as I know, Macs still cannot 
>use NetLibrary and there is no plan by OCLC to make NetLibrary 
>Mac-compatible.  Is Overdrive Mac-friendly?  Will the popularity of the

>iPod change OCLC's marketing strategy?  To quote NetLibrary:
>
>" Q: Can I download and play an audiobook on a Mac?
>A: NetLibrary audiobooks cannot be played on Macs because the latest 
>version of Window Media Player available for Macs (version 9) is based 
>on Windows Media Rights Manager version 1.3. NetLibrary uses version
2.x
>licenses for eAudiobooks in order to maintain a high level of security.
>Because the latest version of Windows Media Player for Macs does not 
>support 2.x licenses, NetLibrary audiobooks cannot be played on Macs at

>this point in time.
>
>Q: Can I download and play an audiobook on an iPod?
>A: No, NetLibrary audiobooks cannot be played on iPods. iPods use the 
>.aac file format and the .aac file format does not support the Digital 
>Rights Management protection required by NetLibrary audiobooks at this 
>time. Digital Rights Management protection helps ensure that the
content
>of our publishing partners is secure, especially when items are checked

>out from the library's collection and borrowed by a user rather than 
>purchased. This Digital Rights Management technology allows checked out

>items to expire on the due date."
>
>http://netlibrary.com/Help/Default.aspx?Page=FAQ#AudiobooksFAQs
>
>John Marquette
>City of Commerce Public Library
>5655 Jillson Street
>Commerce, CA 90040
>
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