IDPF Releases Ebook Standard

Edited By Michael Rogers -- Library Journal, 12/15/2006

The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) has created a technical standard “to facilitate digital content creation, distribution, and use by customers.” Dubbed the Open eBook Publication Structure Container Format (OCF), the standard, according to IDPF, “will allow publishers to release a single standard file into their sales and distribution channels and will also enable consumers and library patrons to exchange unencrypted ebooks and other digital publications between reading systems that support the new standard.” More than 40 publishers, technology companies, and organizations were involved, including Adobe Systems Inc., Benetech, DAISY Consortium, eBook Technologies Inc., Hachette Book Group, Harlequin, iRex Technologies, Mobipocket, netLibrary, OverDrive Inc., Random House, Simon & Schuster, WGBH, and others.