Thanks, Bibliotheca: We Couldn't Do It Without You!

ReadersFirst is always delighted to report when a publisher or library vendor steps forward to make the library e-content experience even better.  With profound thanks, then, we give a shout out to Tom Mercer of Cloud Library (Bibliotheca). Tom has been very supportive of SimplyE, a library reading app initially developed by New York Public Library (NYPL). This “one app to rule them all” has been adopted by NYPL and Brooklyn Public Library, and will be coming soon to the states of Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, the multi-state network of Minitex, and huge swaths of California and Texas. When approached about an important development in the app—how to serve audiobook content from Cloud Library--Tom Mercer came to NYPL and brought his expert cadre of folks so they could understand what SimplyE is proposing and how they could be of support. A big thanks, too, to Findaway, a third party service provider of audiobook content for both Bibliotheca and Baker & Taylor.  Ralph Lazaro, Findaway VP of Digital Products, joined Tom to learn more and see how they could support this advance.

Not only was this visit and discussion promising, but Bibliotheca, working with Findaway, have responded with prompt action, extending their APIs and providing engineering support to SimplyE. We are that much closer to integrating e-audio into the app, allowing a full range of content from many library vendors into a single app, simplifying and improving the experience for libraries and their users.

Equally supportive are Michael Bills and Livia Bitner of Baker & Taylor, who have been receptive to SimplyE and instrumental in related SimplyE efforts like Open eBooks.  We look forward to Baker & Taylor taking action soon to enhance how Axis 360 works with SimplyE. Thanks, as well, to Recorded Books for making RB Digital audiobook content work with the app, while supporting Connecticut’s related eGO platform.

Tom, Ralph, Bibliotheca, and Findaway - a tip of our library hat to you for Finding-A-Way to move forward, and putting the Reader (and Listener) First! Libraries rely upon partnerships with vendors to enhance service with us, and you have won today.  

Signed--the E-book Superfriends!