Recently in DRM Category

A group of libraries led by the Internet Archive announced a new, cooperative 80,000+ eBook lending collection of mostly 20th century books on OpenLibrary.org. During a library visit, patrons with an OpenLibrary.org account can borrow any of these lendable eBooks using laptops, reading devices or library computers. This new twist on the traditional lending model could increase eBook use and revenue for publishers. A recent survey of libraries across North America was conducted by Unisphere Research and Information Today, Inc. (ITI). It reported that of the 1,201 libraries canvassed, 73% are seeing increased demand for digital resources with 67% reporting increased demand for wireless access and 62% seeing a surge in demand for web access. American libraries spend $3-4 billion each year on publishers’ products. Any OpenLibrary.org account holder can borrow up to 5 eBooks at a time, for up to 2 weeks. Books can only be borrowed by one person at a time. People can choose to borrow either an in-browser version (viewed using the Internet Archive’s BookReader web application), or a PDF or ePub version, managed by the Adobe Digital Editions software. This new technology follows the lead of the Google eBookstore, which sells books from many publishers to be read using Google's books-in-browsers technology. Readers can use laptops, library computers and tablet devices including the iPad. Digital lending also offers wider access to one-of-a-kind or rare books on specific topics such as family histories – popular with genealogists. This pooled collection will enable libraries like the Boston Public Library and the Allen County Public Library in Indiana to share their materials with genealogists around the state, the country and the world. Publishers selling their eBooks to participating libraries include Cursor and OR Books. Books purchased will be lent to readers as well as being digitally preserved for the long-term. http://openlibrary.org

Interactive Data Corporation, a provider of financial market data, analytics and related solutions, announced the launch of PlusFeed Access Control System, a permissioning and entitlement system designed to interface with PlusFeed, Interactive Data's consolidated datafeed. The scalable system is designed to enable data managers to monitor and control data access across the organization with granularity and transparency. Entitlement reports can also help comply with a firm's internal and external reporting requirements. If required, clients can delegate the permissioning of data and exchange reporting to Interactive Data, using a controlled data entitlement and reporting solution. The PlusFeedAccess Control System can be integrated with PlusFeed datafeed installations as a standalone entitlement module or optionally deployed as an add-on component as part of the PlusFeed Data Distribution Platform. The system comes with a web-based user interface, an API to help automate the workflow, and a gateway server that connects to a host system managed by Interactive Data. All functionality can be integrated into a firm's own content management system or data architecture, designed to enable the client to automate the workflow and entitlement management processes all the way to the end-user or application. www.interactivedata.com

In a move to strengthen reach in the Asian market, Adeptol announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with VersaPAC, a solution provider of information management systems and reseller of HP TRIM records management software.  With the partnership VersaPAC is moving from a legacy viewing system to Adeptol’s document viewing technology embedded in its Saffron web front-end application for HP TRIM. Saffron is available through VersaPAC resellers in Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, North America, and the United Kingdom. The integration allows Saffron to support viewing of over 300 file formats including documents from Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, various image files, and Adobe PDF.  Users will have access to the latest features such as document search, annotations, and document conversion to PDF - all from the viewer. Adeptol Document Viewer is a web-based viewer using Ajax technology, and is a built-in Information Rights Management (IRM) module that allows users to protect content by assigning policies to control the viewing, printing, navigating and saving of documents. http://www.ajaxdocumentviewer.com/ http://www.versapac.com.my/

Apple will be launching the iBook store in March to sell ebooks for the iPad. Citing sources in the publishing industry,  the LA Times claims the eBooks will be featuring FairPlay DRM, which is the same software which had previously limited how many times iTunes songs could be copied (FairPlay's use for music files has since been phased out). While some publishers will oppose the use of DRM, arguing that DRM software harms sales volume, most are expected to embrace these piracy safeguards. Apple will only be offering iBooks to iPad owners in the U.S. http://www.apple.com/ipad/