Sony and OverDrive Strike Ebook Deal; No Wireless Access Yet for Library Users

Competing with Kindle in consumer market, establishing presence in library market

Josh Hadro -- Library Journal, 8/26/2009

• New device features wireless access to Sony eBook Store, but not library content
• OverDrive's Library Finder site locates nearest downloadable content
• Sony platform considered more open than Amazon's Kindle

Yesterday, as reported by Publishers Weekly and others, Sony announced a new ebook device and an expanded library partnership with vendor OverDrive. With the announcement, Sony is positioning the new Sony Reader Daily Edition, in contrast to Amazon.com's Kindle, as a superior option for library users.

The launch event was held at the Trustees Room of the New York Public Library's Schwarzman Building on 42nd St., but the big news was geared toward consumers: the new product, featuring a 7” inch screen and a wireless connection to AT&T’s 3G cell network, will allow users to download purchased content directly to the device, as with the Kindle. The device, with connection to the Sony eBook Store, will launch in December for $399.

Library Finder service
Linked from the eBook Store will be the new Library Finder service. Based on OverDrive's Download Library Search, it will connect users to OverDrive customer libraries in or near their zip code, and direct them to the area of the library's site from which they can check out downloadable media. Some 9000 libraries in North America, most of them public libraries, are OverDrive customers. On August 12, the vendor announced a cross-marketing agreement with Sony to "train librarians on how to help patrons use the Sony Reader with their download service" and "increase outreach effort to reach new patrons [in Sony Style retail stores] about the OverDrive download network of libraries."

However, as LJ has verified with Sony and OverDrive, users will not be able to access Library Finder from the device itself, nor be able to check out books directly from the device.

Instead, users must browse Library Finder from a standard web browser, download the title onto a computer, and transfer it as with any other downloaded media. This process to check out library materials remains the same as it has been for downloadable materials from OverDrive on existing Sony Reader devices, and similar to the process for other compatible devices.

Asked if there were any plans for wireless access to library materials, Sony reps said the company had no comment at this time.

New ebook ecology
Still, despite a certain amount of confusion over the new device's capabilities, some have pointed out in tweets and in blog comments that any access to library materials offers more flexibility than the Kindle. LJ Digital Libraries blogger Roy Tennant described the recent announcements from Sony as a move toward a more open ebook ecology, along with Sony’s increasing embrace of the similarly open .epub XML standard.

Indeed, Sony's effort to distinguish itself from the more monolithic Kindle platform began months ago. In March, the company announced a deal with Google to make half a million public domain works scanned for inclusion in the Google Book Search catalog more easily accessible on Sony devices. The current total exceeds one million titles.