ebrary introduced a new enterprise, server-based technology addressing how ordinary documents in the Portable Document Format (PDF) are viewed, distributed, and shared. Code named “Isaac” and currently in beta with several academic institutions, ebrary’s new technology enables libraries to easily and cost-effectively create and share Remote Collections of PDF content within the institution, with peer institutions, or on the Internet. Additionally, it allows them to create Virtual Portals that seamlessly integrate PDF documents from any Remote Collection, their institutional repository or content management system, as well as existing subscription databases. The new server-based technology integrates all the PDF content an institution owns, with the PDF documents it produces, with the PDF content it borrows and leases, while protecting copyrights through a variety of access controls. The technology is delivered via a single Web-based administrative user interface that contains a library’s brand. The ebrary Reader optimizes online viewing of PDF documents by serving one page at a time instead of the entire file in ebrary’s Exchange Data Format (EDF). Anyone, regardless of bandwidth or connectivity limitations, can access files in EDF without downloads. Like PDF, an EDF document maintains the exact appearance of the original document. Unlike PDF, EDF documents feature advanced research capabilities and word-level interaction through ebrary’s customizable InfoTools. Isaac will be available in Q3 2005. In separate press releases, ebrary announced the availability of Custom Collections and a new perpetual access model, a partnership with BookSurge to bring print-on-demand capabilities to libraries worldwide, and a strategic distribution partnership with Blackwell’s Book Services. www.ebrary.com
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