From the OCLC press release:
OCLC NetLibrary, the leading provider of eContent solutions for libraries, currently offers more than 140,000 PDF titles that are compatible with the Barnes & Noble nook, Sony’s Daily Edition and other devices including all four Sony Digital Readers (PRS-300, 505, 600 and 700BC), as well as the COOL-ER. Titles available in the NetLibrary catalog include current bestsellers, award-winners and timeless classics, and cover subject categories ranging from fiction to business to personal growth and more.
OCLC NetLibrary uses the Adobe Content Server to provide offline eReader capability to library users. Adobe Content Server is integrated with the OCLC NetLibrary platform to offer users seamless offline access to the library’s existing NetLibrary collections, providing library users a single point of access to eBook content for online and offline use. Users who have established a NetLibrary account can log in, download selected titles to their computers, and transfer them to supported devices using Adobe Digital Editions.
Adobe continues to be positioned as the standard for ebook production as well as portable documents. After all, EBL, Overdrive and others use the Adobe back end and skin their brand and services over the Adobe core. At once, Adobe is winning the market share play for backend eBook services, and providing a standard for developers to target. While I appreciate the expanded services offered by some of the proprietary platforms, it’s tough to develop and maintain a specialized platform, acquire content, and innovate new services in a cost effective manner.
This type of development is good for the consumer. With a single format dominating the aggregator landscape, publishers can focus on the production of a single file that can fill many channels. That’s good for nearly everyone; we might even see the quality of metadata improve…one can hope.
The 800-pound gorilla, however, is what happens when content is compatible on multiple service platforms? What power will that impart upon libraries in their negotiations? Does Wiley or Elsevier care where you host their books? I know there’s a list price printed on the print edition; is there something comparable for ebook aggregators? Is the same book more or less valuable on one platform vs. another? Hmmm.