Chapter 4

E-book Platforms for

Libraries
Comparative Overview

Abstract on the scope or purchasing options for the products.

E-book platforms frequently go through revisions as
Chapter 4 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 49, no. vendors revise their offerings, in terms of both content
3) “E-book Platforms for Libraries” consists of four tables. and purchasing plans.
The at-a-glance table lists all fifty-one products featured The information in the comparative tables was
in the main directory, while three comparative overview supplied by the vendors who responded to a question-
tables zoom in on the key features of thirty-five platforms naire sent to them electronically in November and
(by vendors who agreed to supply information necessary December 2012. The report was finalized in January
for inclusion by given deadline). Librarians may use the 2013. Not all platforms listed in chapter 3 and in table
tables to gain insight into how certain platforms measure 4.1 are included in the comparative tables owing to
up to others in terms of content, technical specifications, one of the following two reasons: the vendor did not
functionality, and business models. respond to the initial request to provide more informa-
tion, or the vendor responded but requested not to be

T
able 4.1 is an at-a-glance overview of the fifty- included in the comparative tables as its product was
one platforms listed in chapter 3. Each is identi- in the midst of a significant overhaul at the time the
fied by platform type (e.g., aggregator, publisher, report was compiled.
distributor) and main library market (e.g., academic/ The specifics for each product are in line with

Library Technology Reports

research, public, K–12), and details about the prod- the purchasing criteria discussed in chapter 2 and are
uct’s website and parent company are also included. broken down into four categories: Content, Technical
The purpose of this table (arranged alphabetically by Specifications, Functionality, and Business Model, as
product name) is to give librarians a bird’s-eye view of these are usually the most pressing issues that come up
the types of e-book platforms they can purchase. in conversations with librarians who purchase e-book
Tables 4.2.1, 4.2.2, and 4.2.3 are comparative platforms for their institutions. The abbreviation n/a
overviews of thirty-five of the fifty-one e-book plat- is used in a number of fields to indicate that a particu-
forms listed in table 4.1. The goal here is to give librar- lar column is not applicable to a product or that the
ians an understanding of each product’s size, scope, information was not available at the time the vendor
technical aspects, and purchasing plans. Librarians was contacted.
alatechsource.org

should note, however, that this information is time-

sensitive and that these tables are not the last word
April 2013

33
E-book Platforms for Libraries Mirela Roncevic
 Table 4.1
At-a-glance overview of fifty-one e-book platforms

Platform Website Platform Type Parent Company

123Library https://www.123library.org aggregator/distributor 123Doc Education
3M Cloud Library http://ebook.3m.com distributor/e-book lending service 3M
ABC-CLIO eBook Collection http://ebooks.abc-clio.com publisher ABC-CLIO
Axis 360 http://btol.com/axis360 distributor Baker & Taylor
Books24x7 www.books24x7.com aggregator Skillsoft
Books at JSTOR http://books.jstor.org university press consortium ITHAKA
Books@Ovid http://site.ovid.com/site/products/books_land- aggregator/distributor Ovid Technologies
ing.jsp
Brain Hive www.brainhive.com distributor/e-book lending service Brain Hive
Cambridge Books Online http://ebooks.cambridge.org publisher Cambridge University Press
dawsonera http://dawsonera.com distributor Dawson Books
De Gruyter Online www.degruyter.com publisher De Gruyter
EBL (Ebook Library) www.eblib.com e-book lending service ProQuest
eBooks on EBSCOhost http://ebscohost.com/ebooks aggregator EBSCO Publishing
ebrary www.ebrary.com aggregator ProQuest
epointbooks.com www.epointbooks.com publisher Rosen Publishing
Follett eBooks http://aboutfollettebooks.com distributor/e-book lending service Follet Corporation
Freading Ebook Service http://freading.com distributor/e-book lending service Library Ideas
FreedomFlix http://freedomflix.digital.scholastic.com/home publisher Scholastic
GVRL www.gale.cengage.com/gvrl aggregator Gale Cengage
Infobase eBooks http://infobasepublishing.com/ebooks publisher Infobase Publishing
Knovel http://why.knovel.com aggregator Knovel Corporation
LexisNexis Digital Library www.lexisnexis.com/ebooks/lending e-book lending service LexisNexis
Literati by Credo http://literati.credoreference.com aggregator Credo Reference
MackinVIA www.mackin.com/via aggregator Mackin Educational Resources
McGraw-Hill eBook Library http://mhebooklibrary.com publisher McGraw-Hill
MyiLibrary www.myilibrary.com aggregator Ingram Content Group
OverDrive www.overdrive.com distributor/e-book lending service OverDrive
Oxford Handbooks Online www.oxfordhandbooks.com publisher Oxford University Press
Oxford Reference www.oxfordreference.com publisher Oxford University Press
Palgrave Connect www.palgraveconnect.com publisher Palgrave MacMillan
PsycBOOKS www.apa.org/pubs/databases/psycbooks publisher American Psychological As-
sociation
Questia www.questia.com aggregator Cengage Learning
R2 Digital Library http://r2library.com aggregator/distributor Rittenhouse Book Distributors
Routledge Reference Online http://routledgeonline.com publisher Taylor & Francis
Safari Books Online www.safaribooksonline.com aggregator Safari Books Online
April 2013

SAGE Knowledge http://knowledge.sagepub.com publisher SAGE Publications

ScienceDirect www.sciencedirect.com publisher Elsevier
SOLR http://sharpe-online.com publisher ME Sharpe
SpringerLink http://link.springer.com publisher Springer Science+Business
alatechsource.org

Media
SpringerReference http://springerreference.com publisher Springer Science+Business
Media
StarWalk Kids Media http://starwalkkids.com distributor Seymour Science
Storia http://scholastic.com/storia publisher Scholastic
SwetsWise http://swets.com/ebooks distributor Swets Information Services
Library Technology Reports

Taylor & Francis eBooks www.tandfebooks.com publisher Taylor & Francis

TrueFlix http://trueflix.scholastic.com publisher Scholastic
University Press Scholarship www.universitypressscholarship.com university press consortium Oxford University Press
Online
University Publishing Online http://universitypublishingonline.org university press consortium Cambridge University Press
UPCC Book Collections on http://muse.jhu.edu university press consortium Johns Hopkins University Press
Project MUSE
Wheelers ePlatform www.eplatform.co distributor/e-book lending service Wheelers Books
Wiley Online Library http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
World Book Web http://worldbook.com publisher World Book, Inc.

34
E-book Platforms for Libraries Mirela Roncevic
 Table 4.2.1
Comparative overview of thirty-five e-book platforms—content and technical specifications

Content Technical specifications

Main
E-book library # of # of Other con- Browsers Software or E-book file Compatible
platform market e-books publishers tent types Multimedia supported plugins needed format devices
3M Cloud Li- public 250,000+ 300+ no no application-based 3M apps PDF, ePub iOS devices, Sony
brary eReader, Nook,
most ePub-compat-
ible readers
Axis 360 public 400,000 300 no yes (audio- all Blio, Adobe Digital PDF, ePub, .xps iOS devices, Nook,
books, vid- Editions or Bluefire (Blio), Acoustik Sony eReader,
eos) Reader; Acoustik Kobo
(for audiobooks)
Books24x7 academic/ 34,000+ 845 no yes (videos) IE, Safari, Firefox, none HTML, PDF any tablet or mo-
research Chrome bile device
Brain Hive K–12 3,500 20 no forthcoming all none PDF, ePub iPad
in Fall 2013
Cambridge academic/ 20,000 1 no no IE, Safari, Firefox, none PDF most
Books Online research, Chrome, Opera
public
EBL (Ebook Li- academic/ 325,000+ 500 yes (a small no all Adobe Digital Edi- PDF, ePub any that supports
brary) research number of tions Adobe Digital Edi-
journals) tions & Bluefire
Reader
eBooks on EB- academic/ 350,000 1,400 no no all Adobe Digital Edi- iOS devices, Sony
SCOhost research, tions, Adobe PDF eReader, Nook,
public plugin (for Mac)
ebrary academic/ 450,000 500 no no IE, Safari, Firefox Adobe Digital PDF Kobo, Nook, Kindle
research, Editions, Java, en- Fire, iPad, Sony
public abling of cookies & eReader
popups required
Follett eBooks K–12, public 145,000+ 1,000 (pub- yes (data- yes (audio- IE, Safari, Firefox, Adobe Flash Player proprietary iPad, Android tab-
lisher im- bases) books) Chrome lets, Kindle Fire,
prints) Nook Color
Freading Ebook public 50,000 60 no yes all Adobe Digital Edi- PDF, ePub Nook, iPad, Kobo,
Service tions Sony eReader, Kin-
dle Fire, Android
tablets
FreedomFlix K–12, public 40 1 yes (related yes (videos, all n/a n/a all hand-held de-
articles) slideshows, vices
images)
Gale Virtual Ref- academic/ 8,000+ 80+ no no all none PDF, HTML all major Android
erence Library research, & iOS devices

E-book Platforms for Libraries Mirela Roncevic

public

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Table 4.2.1 cont’d
Content Technical specifications
Main
E-book library # of # of Other con- Browsers Software or E-book file Compatible
platform market e-books publishers tent types Multimedia supported plugins needed format devices
Infobase eBooks K–12, public, 4,000 1 no no all Adobe Reader PDF, HTML, ePub most devices
academic/ (for some, not all that have a web
research titles) browser
Literati by Credo academic/ 1,300 80+ no yes (images, all JavaScript, Adobe HTML (files may be n/a

E-book Platforms for Libraries

research, audio, vid- Flash, MP3 players saved in PDF)
public eos, maps)
MackinVIA K–12, public 100,000 80 yes (data- yes (videos) all Adobe Digital Edi- proprietary VIA reader, iPad,
bases) tions Android tablets,
Kindle Fire
MyiLibrary academic/ 400,000 1,450 no no all Adobe Digital Edi- PDF, ePub Nook, Apple de-

Mirela Roncevic
research tions (for offline vices, Kindle, Sony
download) eReader
OverDrive public, K–12, 1 million 2,000 no yes (audio- all Adobe Digital Edi- ePub, PDF, Kindle all (including
academic/ books, mu- tions, OverDrive Kindle)
research, sic, videos) Media Console
corporate app, modern web
browser with Ja-
vaScript enabled
Oxford Hand- academic/ 325+ 1 no yes (videos) IE, Firefox, Chrome, none XML forthcoming
books Online research Opera, Safari
Oxford Refer- academic/ 300+ no yes (videos) all but IE 7 & older none XML forthcoming
ence research,
public
Palgrave Con- academic/ 11,500 1 yes (jour- no all Adobe Reader PDF for all; ePub all
nect research nals) for books pub-
lished in 2011 &
beyond
PsycBOOKS academic/ 3,500+ 1 yes (articles, yes (videos) all none PDF n/a
research databases)
Questia academic/ 76,500 500 yes (journal, yes (videos) all none HTML iPad, iPhone, tablet
research, magazine, &
9–12 newspaper
articles)
Safari Books academic/ 28,000 200 yes (related yes (videos) all Flash (version 10 PDF all iOS 3+ devices;
Online research articles) & up) all Android 1.5+,
2.1+, Blackberry 6
PlayBook
SAGE Knowl- academic/ 2,700+ 1 yes (jour- yes (images, all Java PDF, HTML forthcoming in
edge research, nals) videos) 2013
corporate,
public
 Table 4.2.1 cont’d

Content Technical specifications

Main
E-book library # of # of Other con- Browsers Software or E-book file Compatible
platform market e-books publishers tent types Multimedia supported plugins needed format devices
Sharpe Online academic/ 29 (multivol- 1 no yes (audio & all Java & Flash HTML iPad forthcoming
Reference research, ume) video)
public
SpringerLink academic/ 88,000 40+ yes (jour- yes (videos) all none PDF, HTML all
research nals, proto-
cols)
SpringerRefer- academic/ 195+ 1 no no all none PDF, HTML does not support
ence research mobile screen size
StarWalk Kids K–12, public 400 (by June 1 no yes IE, Safari, Firefox, Flash plugin PDF, streaming de- Nook, iPad, Kindle
Media 2013) Chrome livery Fire, iPhone, An-
droid phones
Storia Pre K–grade 3,500 21 no yes application-based Storia app n/a iPad, Android
8 tablets
Taylor & Francis academic/ 35,000+ 1 no no all FileOpen plugin PDF not yet supported
eBooks research,
corporate,
government,
public
TrueFlix K–12, public 84 1 yes (related yes (videos, all Flash n/a all Flash-based
articles) slideshows, devices (by Aug.
images) 2013, non–Flash-
based devices will
be supported)
University Press academic/ 11,200+ 11 no yes (videos) all none XML (printable all smartphones &
Scholarship On- research & downloadable tablet devices
line in PDF at chapter
level)
University Pub- academic/ 22,000 9 yes (jour- no IE, Safari, Firefox, none PDF most
lishing Online research nals) Chrome, Opera
UPCC Book Col- academic/ 20,000+ 80+ yes (jour- no IE, Firefox, Chrome, none PDF all PDF-compatible
lections on Proj- research; nals) Opera
ect MUSE public
Wheelers ePlat- public, K–12 100,000 700+ no no all Adobe Digital PDF, ePub Nook, iPad, Sony
form Editions; Bluefire eReader, Samsung
reading app Galaxy, Kobo, An-
droid tablets

E-book Platforms for Libraries Mirela Roncevic

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Table 4.2.2
Comparative overview of thirty-five e-book platforms—functionality

E-book Full-text Offline ADA Annotation Usage MARC Persistent

Platform searching Copy/paste Printing reading compliance tools reports records URLs
3M Cloud Library yes no no yes no (forthcom- yes no yes (free) no
ing)
Axis 360 yes yes (if publisher yes (if publisher yes yes yes yes yes (free) yes (book level)
allows) allows)

E-book Platforms for Libraries

Books24x7 yes yes yes no yes yes yes yes (free) yes
Brain Hive yes no no no no no yes yes (free) yes (book level)
Cambridge yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes (free) yes (book &
Books Online chapter level)
EBL (Ebook Li- yes yes (up to 5% yes (up to 20% yes yes yes yes yes yes (book &
brary) of any book’s of any book’s chapter level)

Mirela Roncevic
content) content)
eBooks on EB- yes (for 90% of yes (for 90% of yes yes yes yes yes (free) yes (book, yes
SCOhost titles) titles) chapter, & page
level)
ebrary yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes (on de- yes (collection,
mand) book & chapter
level)
Follett eBooks yes yes (if publisher yes (if publisher yes yes no yes yes yes (book level)
allows) allows)
Freading Ebook no n/a n/a yes yes n/a yes no n/a
Service
FreedomFlix yes yes no no yes yes yes yes yes
Gale Virtual Ref- yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes (free) yes
erence Library
Infobase eBooks yes yes yes yes no yes yes yes (free) yes (book &
chapter level)
Literati by Credo yes yes yes yes (by saving yes no yes yes (free) yes (book level,
in PDF) entry, image,
topic)
MackinVIA yes (within VIA yes (if publisher yes (if publisher yes (via Mackin- n/a yes yes yes (free) yes (book level)
reader) allows) allows) VIA app)
MyiLibrary yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes (book level)
OverDrive yes (for Over- yes (if publisher yes (if publisher yes yes yes yes yes (paid & free yes (to Over-
Drive Read allows) allows) options) Drive Read
only) titles)
Oxford Hand- yes yes yes (in PDF) no yes forthcoming yes yes (free) yes (book & ar-
books Online ticle level)
Oxford Refer- yes yes yes (in PDF) no yes forthcoming yes yes (free) yes (all levels)
ence
 Table 4.2.2 cont’d
E-book Full-text Offline ADA Annotation Usage MARC Persistent
Platform searching Copy/paste Printing reading compliance tools reports records URLs
Palgrave Con- yes yes yes yes no no yes yes (free) yes (book level;
nect chapter level
forthcoming)
PsycBOOKS yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes yes
Questia yes yes (portions of yes (one page no yes yes no no yes (book level)
the content) at a time)
Safari Books yes yes yes no for libraries; yes yes yes yes yes (book level)
Online yes for corpo-
rate & consum-
er accounts
SAGE Knowl- yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
edge
Sharpe Online yes yes (content & yes no no yes yes yes (free if re- yes (book &
Reference images) quested) chapter level,
image)
SpringerLink yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes yes (book &
chapter level)
SpringerRefer- yes yes yes (in PDF) no no no yes yes yes (book &
ence chapter level)
StarWalk Kids yes yes no no no no yes no no
Media
Storia no no no yes yes yes no no n/a
Taylor & Francis yes yes yes yes forthcoming in yes yes yes (free) yes (book level)
eBooks 2013
TrueFlix no yes no no yes no yes yes yes
University Press yes yes yes (in PDF) no yes forthcoming yes yes (free) yes (book &
Scholarship On- chapter level)
line
University Pub- yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes (free) yes (book &
lishing Online chapter level)
UPCC Book Col- yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes (free) yes (book &
lections on Proj- chapter level)
ect MUSE
Wheelers ePlat- no no no yes no yes yes yes n/a
form

E-book Platforms for Libraries Mirela Roncevic

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Table 4.2.3
Comparative overview of thirty-five e-book platforms—business model details

Short- Inter- Consor-

E-book One user/ Purchase Subscrip- term Annual Minimum library Invoicing tial pur- Free
platform one book to own tion loans PDA fee commitment loan intervals chasing Embargo DRM trials
3M Cloud Li- yes no no no yes no no no monthly yes no full DRM no
brary protection
Axis 360 yes yes (single no (in no (in no (in yes (for $1,000 mini- no yearly yes (limi- mostly no lim- n/a

E-book Platforms for Libraries

user or develop- develop- devel- perpetual mum opening tations ited copy/
multiuser) ment) ment) op- access) order (scaled apply) paste &
ment) by size of li- printing
brary)
Books24x7 no no (but yes no no no no no yearly yes no none yes
available as
an option

Mirela Roncevic
within the
subscrip-
tion pack-
age)
Brain Hive yes (on yes no yes yes no no no monthly yes no full DRM no
demand, protection
rental)
Cambridge no no (but yes forthcom- no yes (for 25 titles no vary yes yes (4–6 minimal yes (30
Books Online available ing perpetual weeks) days)
upon re- access only)
quest)
EBL no yes (unlim- no yes yes yes (nomi- no no weekly & yes no some re- yes (30
(Ebook ited, mul- nal) monthly strictions days)
Library) tiuser) apply
eBooks on yes yes yes yes yes no no yes depends yes (limi- set by Adobe yes
EBSCOhost on type of tations publisher DRM ap-
purchase apply) plies
ebrary yes (for yes (unlim- yes yes yes yes (for no (pledges no yearly (for yes no some re- yes (30
perpetual ited, mul- perpetual may be re- subscrip- strictions days)
purchases) tiuser) access only) quired for PDA tion) & apply
accounts) weekly
(for PDA)
Follett eB- yes yes no no no no no no vary n/a no restric- yes
ooks tions set
by pub-
lishers
Freading Eb- yes no yes (via no no no no no vary n/a varies; set standard n/a
ook Service tokens) by pub- DRM
lishers
FreedomFlix no no yes no no yes no no yearly yes no n/a yes (60
days)
 Table 4.2.3 cont’d
Short- Inter- Consor-
E-book One user/ Purchase Subscrip- term Annual Minimum library Invoicing tial pur- Free
platform one book to own tion loans PDA fee commitment loan intervals chasing Embargo DRM trials
Gale Virtual no yes (unlim- no no no yes no no upon yes no none yes (1–4
Reference ited, per- avail- weeks)
Library petual) ability of
content
Infobase eB- no yes (unlim- yes no no no no no yearly yes no none yes (30
ooks ited) days)
Literati by no yes (for col- yes no no no no yes yearly yes none no (3-
Credo lections) month
paid tri-
als only)
MackinVIA no yes (unlim- no yes (if no no n/a n/a vary yes n/a none yes
ited, mul- enabled (15–30
tiuser) by admin- days)
istrator)
MyiLibrary yes yes (mul- yes yes yes yes (for yes n/a yes n/a evaluated yes (30
tiuser, per- perpetual on a per- days)
petual) access only) title basis
OverDrive yes (simul- no yes no no yes no no monthly yes varies; set standard yes
taneous & by pub- DRM for
metered lishers ePub &
access) WMA
Oxford Hand- no yes (unlim- yes no no yes (for no no yearly yes no none yes (30
books Online ited) perpetual days)
access)
Oxford Refer- no yes yes no no yes no no yearly yes no none yes (30
ence days)
Palgrave Con- no yes (per- no no no yes (waived 20-title mini- yes yearly yes no none yes (30
nect petual) when a mum for Build- & 60
current col- Your-Own days)
lection is model
purchased)
PsycBOOKS no no yes no no yes n/a yes (in ac- yearly yes yes (12 n/a yes (30
cordance months) days)
with
license
terms)
Questia no no yes no no n/a $750 for no yearly for yes (case- no some re- yes (1
schools; no school; by-case) strictions day for
minimum for vary for apply individ-
higher ed higher ed uals; 30
when bundled (monthly, days for
with a Cen- quarterly, schools)

E-book Platforms for Libraries Mirela Roncevic

gage print yearly, bi-
product annual)

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Table 4.2.3 cont’d
Short- Inter- Consor-
E-book One user/ Purchase Subscrip- term Annual Minimum library Invoicing tial pur- Free
platform one book to own tion loans PDA fee commitment loan intervals chasing Embargo DRM trials
Safari Books no no yes no no no no no yearly (ne- yes no n/a yes (30
Online gotiable) days)
SAGE Knowl- no no yes no no no no no yearly yes no none yes (30
edge days)
Sharpe On- no yes (unlim- no no no no no no n/a yes none yes (30
line Refer- ited) days)

E-book Platforms for Libraries

ence
SpringerLink no yes (per- no no no yes no yes vary yes no none yes (up
petual) to 90
days)
SpringerRef- no no yes no no yes no yes yearly yes no none yes (60
erence days)

Mirela Roncevic
StarWalk Kids no no yes no no no $595 for no yearly yes no none yes (30
Media schools days)
Storia yes yes no no no no no n/a vary nego- n/a yes n/a
tiable on
a case-by-
case basis
Taylor & Fran- yes yes (mul- yes no no yes (nomi- 50-title mini- no yearly yes no 75% yes
cis eBooks tiuser & nal) mum purchase of the
unlimited) or subscription catalog is
DRM-free
TrueFlix no no yes no no yes no no yearly yes no n/a yes (60
days)
University no yes (unlim- yes no no yes (for no no yearly yes no download yes (30
Press Scholar- ited) perpetual limited to days)
ship Online access) 5 chapters
per ses-
sion
University no not stan- yes forthcom- no yes (for 25 no vary yes no minimal yes (30
Publishing dard but ing perpetual days)
Online available access only)
upon re-
quest (via
perpetual
access)
UPCC Book no yes (unlim- yes no no no no yes for yearly yes no none no
Collections ited) owned;
on Project no for
MUSE subscrip-
tions
Wheelers yes yes no yes some no no no monthly yes n/a Adobe yes (30
ePlatform DRM ap- days)
plies