LexisNexis eBook Response – Posted on Behalf of LexisNexis

This message is posted from CRIV on behalf of LexisNexis with regards to eBooks.

LexisNexis® would like to thank Michelle Cosby and CRIV for the opportunity to speak with its members regarding eBooks.  The questions discussed during the call were those identified by CRIV as the ones most frequently asked by the members.  Both the questions and answers to them follow.

For answers to questions not discussed during the call, we recommend you visit http://www.lexisnexis.com/ebooks/ , where you can access current lists of electronic titles, view an eBook demonstration, and review Frequently Asked Questions.  Additionally, you may find answers to your questions in the terms and conditions (the “Electronic Publications Master Agreement”) related to eBooks (as well as CDs, DVDs, PDFs, flash drives or other offline publications distributed electronically by LN) located at http://lexisnexis.com/terms/bender/masteragreement/.  We also welcome your questions and suggestions by phone at 800.833.9844 or email ebooks@lexisnexis.com. 

LexisNexis recognizes the important role technology plays in workplace productivity, and our goal is to provide legal professionals effective and efficient research tools, accessible whenever and wherever they need them.  Today’s practitioners are using tablets, smart phones and laptops, and want to incorporate eBooks into their everyday work.

With this in mind, we began our eBook journey in 2009, relying on customer input and feedback to help shape our product strategy and direction.  For example, we heard from our customers that they wanted to be able to choose their own mobile device; as such, we developed our eBooks using the two industry standard file types (epub and mobi), leaving device preference and choice to our customers.  In addition, we heard customers say the eBook needed to mirror the print book as closely as possible to support ease of use and format transition, so we designed our eBooks with this in mind.  We also provide valuable citation links to our Lexis Advance® research system for enhanced understanding of in-depth content.

As knowledge of our eBook collection grew, we began receiving feedback that while individual eBook purchases may be suitable for individual practitioners, librarians need to have greater supervision of collection purchases, lending restrictions, and other important library management issues.  We also heard clearly the imperative that any solution provided should be publisher agnostic, allowing librarians to mirror their print collection in digital format. 

For these reasons, we now offer LexisNexis® Digital Library.  As a part of the LexisNexis Digital Library, LexisNexis is an authorized reseller of the OverDrive® application platform.  Overdrive is a leader in the distribution of eBooks and digital content to public schools and libraries.  The innovative LexisNexis Digital Library offers legal professionals access to a large collection of authoritative legal eBook content on all major mobile devices and desktop platforms. It also enables organizations to share individual eBook titles among multiple users, purchase eBooks centrally and manage their library more efficiently.

eBook Info Site:

1) When will the helpful website be going up?  How will you inform customers when it is available?

This website is available now!  At http://www.lexisnexis.com/ebooks/resources you can access current lists of electronic titles, view an eBook demonstration, and review Frequently Asked Questions.  We also welcome your questions and suggestions by phone at 800.833.9844 or email ebooks@lexisnexis.com.

Information on this website’s availability was communicated in the January edition of the LexisNexis® Information Professional Update, and in the LexisNexis® InfoPro Weekly beginning January 17. We will continue to include reminders on it in certain relevant communications to information professionals throughout the year.

eBook Availability and Content:

2) Is it possible for an eBook to be downloaded to a library computer and be IP authenticated?   If not, will different pricing be available so that a library does not have to participate in eBooks? 

In order to ensure we understand and deliver on your desired user experience, we recommend that you contact your Account Representative or our Customer Service organization to discuss this question further.

3) What hardware is needed to read the eBooks?

 We publish our eBooks in .epub and .mobi formats.  As such, our eBooks are compatible with hardware and software that supports those formats – Mac® and PC laptops, Apple® iPad®, Android® devices, Barnes and Noble NOOK®, Amazon® Kindle®, Sony® Reader and others.  Helpful tips for e-reading applications and software are available at http://www.lexisnexis.com/ebooks/.

4) Will patrons have to go to your website to download the eBook?  Will they have to again after an initial download?

You may choose to download an eBook from the LexisNexis® Download Center to a library computer for patrons to access on that computer, pursuant to the Electronic Publications Master Agreement (referenced above). If you need access that is not provided for in the terms in the Electronic Publications Master Agreement, then please contact your Account Representative to see what agreement can be negotiated for that particular publication.

Cataloging/Circulation/Access:

5) What cataloging pieces will be required to describe the eBook? Does it go on the record with the print book?

LexisNexis Digital Library offers high quality, full-text bibliographic records enhanced for eBook catalog holdings.  The OCLC-MARC records include catalog data that is specific to digital media.

LexisNexis eBooks have a unique record versus the print version as the eBooks have unique ISBNs.  This will allow your patrons to more easily find their preferred format.

6) Do we need to adopt the OverDrive program?

No, you are certainly welcome to evaluate other solutions. 

If you are interested in hearing more about the LexisNexis Digital Library, please contact your Account Representative. 

7) What if the library OPAC is not compatible with OverDrive?

We anticipate few compatibility issues, if any, as the communications protocol that OverDrive employs is SIP2, a widely accepted industry standard. The other option available is LDAP, which is also an industry standard.

Should you require certain advanced functionalities, there may be additional OPAC modules required.  We are happy to discuss these with you as you consider implementation.  However it is important to note that an OPAC is not required for implementation of the LexisNexis Digital Library.

8) Does the licensing agreement cause any problems with lending to other libraries?

As with our CD-ROM licenses, our eBook licenses do not permit interlibrary loans.  For more information, please see section 1.3 of the Electronic Publications Master Agreement (referenced above).

9) There has also been concern that eBooks will force libraries to circulate materials that they don’t usually circulate.

LexisNexis Digital Library does not offer “library-only” circulation capabilities comparable in the print world to not allowing reference desk materials to be checked out, for example.  However, in the LexisNexis Digital Library, you can set the lending period for a short time such as a few days. 

Newsletter/Bender.com:

10) Are there plans to make searchable archiving available since these will no longer be available in print?

You can easily archive your older eBooks as your receive current editions, if such archival practices are in accordance with the Electronic Publications Master Agreement (referenced above).   As newer eBook versions will carry the same file name, you can simply rename the old edition file. With respect to eNewsletters, each new issue is being given a new file name, so you can save them without overwriting. 

11) Can I search across LexisNexis eBooks maintained on one device, or within a LexisNexis Digital Library, in a way that is similar to Folio functionality for CD libraries? 

If there is functionality in your e-reader software allowing such searching and the Digital Rights Management for the particular publication allows such searching, then it may be possible.  However, without those conditions, searching is limited to a single title at this time.  We continue to develop and work on CD library migration plans and features.

12) Setting up an account and getting the log-in credentials is time consuming.

We are working to streamline the process. 

13) Concern about passing cost on to the consumer since they will have to print the newsletters to circulate.

While there are costs associated with printing a copy upon receipt, electronic  delivery offers benefits that we believe outweigh the costs for our customers, including shorter delivery time and lower storage costs

General:

14) Will a list of publications that are changing from print/print with CD/CD only to eBook/digital/PDF only be made available?

 See information regarding our eBooks website above.