We commit to publishing and purchasing decisions that affirm the reading choices of all individuals and support choice in the academic marketplace through the use of standards and best practices for academic publishing, library infrastructure and library lending.
Open, interoperable standards enable libraries to provide the kind of aggregation and ownership rights that have historically been integral to print library collections.
We want to significantly increase the reach, readership, and impact of ebooks. Currently, a fragmented ebook publishing and aggregation landscape that relies on multiple vendors with different standards limits the ability of libraries to provide a consistent reading experience for students and faculty. Proprietary technologies (including proprietary readers, platforms, and DRM solutions) create a needlessly complicated series of systems for students and faculty to learn and use. A lack of standardized metadata formats, protocols, and API create excess complexity, error and costs for libraries, publishers, and readers, hindering the discovery and use of ebooks. Addressing this situation will increase the overall size of the ebook market and will separate the reading experience for users from acquisitions, licensing, and hosting channels, significantly increasing the reach, readership, and impact of ebooks.
What we want:
- Ease of Discovery - consistent open metadata using open, universal standards such as OPDS to facilitate discovery, access and use. OPDS allows publishers to syndicate (update regularly) information about available titles in a way that current metadata protocols handle only with difficulty.
- Ease of Use - innovation in developing and employing DRM systems, such as Readium LCP, that use open standards to facilitate interoperable, systematic integration and delivery when access control is necessary
- Easier to Buy - growth of the overall library marketplace and increased author impact by simplifying the acquisition and use of ebooks
- Accessible for Every Reader - options for ebook accessibility through interoperability with accessible readers and accessibility tools
We seek an academic ebook market that provides a consistent, non-fragmented user experience, and we request vendor development that utilizes open standards in order to allow for innovation in the marketplace. Content should be platform independent – we want to grow the marketplace and increase usage by encouraging the highest level of interoperability, integration, and aggregation of digital content for all our users. As seen before, when the marketplace comes together to adhere to standards, such as web standards: providing a consistent, interoperable user experience increases overall use and adoption, greatly expanding the reach and impact of content.
Signed:
Ann Thornton, Vice Provost and University Librarian, Columbia University Libraries
H. Austin Booth, Dean of Libraries, New York University Libraries
Kristina L. Rose, Interim Dean of the Division of Libraries and Associate Dean for Collections and Content Strategy, New York University Libraries
Evviva Weinraub Lajoie, Vice Provost for University Libraries, University at Buffalo (SUNY)
Barbara Rockenbach, Stephen F. Gates ’68 University Librarian, Yale University Libraries
Jill Morris, PALCI Executive Director and Chief PALCI Strategist and Innovation Officer
Alicia Salaz, Vice Provost and University Librarian, University of Oregon Libraries
Keith Webster, Dean of Libraries; Helen and Henry Posner, Jr. Dean's Chair; and Director of Emerging & Integrative Media Initiatives, Carnegie Mellon University
Kornelia Tancheva, Ph.D., Hillman University Librarian and Director, ULS, University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Clem Guthro, MA, MLS, EdD, University Librarian and Interim Director and Publisher, University of Hawai'i Press, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
Mary Ann Jones, Associate Professor and Chair of Collection Development and Management, James E. Walker Library, Middle Tennessee State University
Joe Lucia, Dean of Libraries, Temple University
Suzanne L. Wones, University Librarian, University of California, Berkeley
Dan Cohen, Vice Provost for Information Collaboration; Dean, University Library, and Professor of History, Northeastern University
Clair Stewart, Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Dean of Libraries and University Librarian, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Neil Romanosky, Dean of Libraries, Michigan State University Libraries
Sarah Shreeves, Alice Sheets Marriott Dean of Libraries, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah
Maurice York, Director of Library Initiatives, Big Ten Academic Alliance
Daniel C. Mack, Interim Dean of the University Libraries, University of Maryland
Galadriel Chilton, Director of Collections Initiatives, Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation
Elijah Scott, Executive Director of Library Services, Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC)
Lisa R. Carter, Dean of Libraries, University Librarian, University of Michigan Library
Mark Newton, University Librarian, Boston University
Arthur J. Boston, Associate Professor and Scholarly Communication Librarian, Murray State University
Amy Tureen, Dean, South Puget Sound Community College
Torsten Reimer, University Librarian & Dean of the University Library, University of Chicago
Jean Blackburn, Executive Director, Council of Prairie & Pacific University Libraries
Monica Westin, Associate Director Content & Discovery, Manchester Metropolitan University
Lara Little, Library Director & Research Librarian, Pfeiffer University
Boaz Nadav Manes, University Librarian, Lehigh University Library
Stephen Valambras Graham, Support Librarian, University of South Australia
Kristy Rawson, Chicago Dance History Project, a partner of Newberry Library, Chicago
Matt Morrison, Public Services Librarian, Tarrant County College
Carl Lehnen, Associate Professor and Head Librarian, Collections Management, University of Illinois Chicago
James Piacentini, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation
Sarah Houghton, Director of Discovery & Delivery, California Digital Library
Trevor A. Dawes, University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press
Jennifer Parsons, Digital Resources Librarian and Assistant Professor, Central Methodist University
Aliza Leventhal, Director, Fleet Library for the Rhode Island School of Design
Kirsten Leonard, Executive Director, PALNI
Joshua S White, PhD, Assistant Professor of Management & Data Science, Utica University
Paula Crossman, Information Science Division Chair, Paradise Valley Community College
Russell Michalak, Library Director, Goldey-Beacom College
Stephanie E Nissen, Director of the Howard Colman Library and Assistant Professor of Information Science, Rockford University
Noelle Keller, Director of Library Services and Associate Professor of Library Services, Huntington University RichLyn Library
Laura Reid, Librarian, University of Calgary
Brandi Nahrwold, Director of Library and Information Services, Trine University
Elizabeth Mengel, Associate Director of Collections & Academic Services, Johns Hopkins University
Karl Stutzman, Director of Library Services, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
Fritz Hartman, Library Director, Goshen College
Allen Jones, Senior Director of Digital Libraries & Technical Services, The New School
Heather Edmonds, Director of Library Services, New England College of Optometry
Ann Hoang, University Librarian, Van Houten Library, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Kirsty Lingstadt, University Librarian, University of York
Max Bowman, Associate Director and Head of Public Services, Colby College
Tabitha Ochtera, MLIS, MBA, Associate Director, Head of Electronic & Digital Services, James E Tobin Library, Molloy University
Dorothy Meaney, Director, Tisch Library, Tufts University
Tracey E. Mendoza, Dean of Libraries, University of the Incarnate Word
Jennifer Parsons, Assistant Director and Access Services Librarian, Central Methodist University
Jessica Ugstad, Acting Co-Director, Daniel F. Cracchiolo Law Library, James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona
Blake McVey, Public Services Supervisor, Memphis Public Library
Rebecca Meng, Supervisor, Document Delivery Services, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Asa Wilder, Research and Instruction Librarian, Antioch University
Kate Emery, Technical Services Specialist & Archivist, Seattle University Law Library
Jewel Clark, Web Administrator (IT), Communications and Web Services, Arizona State University
Luke McKnight, Assistive Technologist, Langara College
Victoria Peters, Scholarly Communication and Resource Services Librarian, DePauw University
Samantha Bogner, Museum Archivist, Neuberger Museum of Art, SUNY Purchase
Gregory Murray, Director of Digital Initiatives, Wright Library, Princeton Theological Seminary
Adriano Lopes, Librarian, Associação Bibliotecária do Paraná
Flávia Bulhões de Sousa, Bibliotecária, Universidade Federal da Bahia - UFBA
Elisio C. Brentan Jr., Librarian, State University of Northern Paraná (UENP)
Maria Emília Pecktor de Oliveira, Librarian, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná
Helka Sampaio Ramos, Coordenadora de Biblioteca Universitária, Universidade da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro-Brasileira (UNILAB)
Richenda Hawkins, Head, Library Experience and Access Department, Oregon State University Libraries and Press
Angela Lee, Access Services Specialist, Boston College
Joshua S. White, PhD, Assitant Professor of Management and Data Science, Utica University
Marilyn Clarke, IALS Librarian, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London
Raquel Donahue, Public Services Librarian, Houston Community College
Dorothy Meaney, Director, Tisch Library, Tufts University
Peter Brantley, Director, Online Strategy (Library), University of California Davis
Kimberly Sweetman, Interim Dean of the UNH Library, University of New Hampshire
