November/December 2011 – New Product News
New CoverCake Channel Available from Boopsie
Boopsie and CoverCake have simplified mobile discovery of books covered by pop media. Boopsie has announced that it will offer access to CoverCake’s book discovery platform, which makes it easy for consumers to find books mentioned by such popular media as news magazines, radio, and daytime talk shows. CoverCake has created a platform that tracks, organizes, and presents book and author information highlighted on such shows as NPR, Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and The View. Clicking on the book takes the user to a page with a brief synopsis, author information, and a list of shows and movies that have featured that particular title. CoverCake allows consumers to find books featured in the last twelve months. CoverCake also provides information on whether a book is available at a local library or via online booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Google Books. Separately, CoverCake is available as an iPad app, and an Android version is slated for release soon CoverCake content will be available as a separate channel on Boopsie for Libraries apps. In addition to providing information about the book and its availability at the library, patrons will be able to immediately check out books or place them on hold via their mobile devices. Boopsie customers can add the CoverCake channel to their mobile app free of charge.
Facts on File Announces Launch of World Religions Online
Facts on File recently launched World Religions Online, its first comprehensive reference database devoted solely to objective coverage of the world’s major religions and spiritual traditions. The new resource features an easy-to-navigate interface, providing for browsing core articles by religion. Topic Centers focus on the world’s major religions and traditional spiritual practices, such as Judaism and Native American religions, guiding users to important topics, spiritual leaders, sacred texts, and holy days and festivals. Features include essays, bibliographies, image and video galleries, original maps, persistent record links, and dynamic citations in Modern Language Association and Chicago Manual of Style formats.
Gale Launches MyGovernment
Gale Cengage recently launched MyGovernment, an online, subscription-based product that provides detailed information on United States political representatives at the federal, state, and local levels. It includes a basic guide to U.S. government, including how laws are made in Congress, information on U.S. citizenship, and more. Produced by KnowWho, Inc. and distributed by Gale, MyGovernment enables users to easily locate, research, and contact their elected officials and access background and biographical data, committee assignments, photos, and even campaign contribution sources. Much of the political information available online is scattered across multiple websites, and it’s often hard to determine whether the information is neutral or nonpartisan. With MyGovernment users can find access to all the information they need from a trusted source. A Spanish user interface will also be available. The easy-to-use format of MyGovernment makes it simple for citizens to become active participants in all levels of government.
Ingram Announces Two New Access Models
Ingram Content Group recently announced two new library e-content models to provide access to e-books and audiobooks. The first, a content distribution agreement between Ingram and Recorded Books, will provide publishers with access to a larger audience of audiobook purchasers through Recorded Books’ One-Clickdigital platform. The e-audio offering became available in the second quarter of 2011. The second new service option, to launch in the coming months, expands access to library content available through WorldCat Resource Sharing to include access to e-books from Ingram’s MyiLibrary e-book collection for a period of up to nine days. E-book loans are fee-based, set at 15 percent of the MyiLibrary price for access to the e-book. The fee is managed through the WorldCat Resource Sharing Interlibrary Loan Fee Management feature, a service that supports payment of resource-sharing services through the library’s OCLC invoice.
Sony’s New E-Ereader Nods to Libraries
Sony has launched a six-inch touch screen e-reader that weighs less than six ounces. Reader Wi-Fi will be the world’s first ereader to provide wireless public library access directly on the device to borrow e-books. As part of Sony’s effort to support public libraries, Reader Wi-Fi will offer wireless connectivity to the public library system in the United States and Canada via a dedicated icon on the device. Readers can access and download more than 2.5 million titles from Reader Store or shop from a wide range of bookstores and other websites that provide books in compatible formats. In addition, Sony’s first offer in collaboration with J. K. Rowling’s eagerly anticipated Pottermore website is a specially created Reader Wi-Fi which includes a voucher for downloading the first Harry Potter e-book title, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, from Pottermore. Pottermore is a unique website which builds an online experience around the Harry Potter books and is the exclusive retailer of the Harry Potter digital e-books. Reader Wi-Fi and Reader Wi-Fi with Pottermore promotion will retail with a price point of about $149.
EnvisionWare Unveils New RFID and E-Commerce Solutions
EnvisionWare recently demonstrated EnvisionWare 1-Pad, an integrated RFID Reader and Unidirectional Pad that looks like a large iPad. The new cable-free design improves media detection and incorporates a more powerful RFID reader. EnvisionWare is also offering a new RFID L-Tag. The company describes the new tag as incorporating library-specific engineering design to deliver higher detection rates through the gates, all at a competitive price. The company has also released a new generation of their RFID Software Suite, which incorporates usability improvements designed by circulation and cataloging staff. On the e-commerce front, Millennium libraries will be interested to note that EnvisionWare recently launched a new product coupling the new eCommerce Services release and EnvisionWare’s Staff Transaction Station to the Innovative Millennium platform.
Spotify Enters U.S. Market for Downloadable Music
Spotify recently launched an invitation only beta phase for U.S. consumers. Spotify is a digital music service that provides on-demand access to more than fifteen million tracks, available via the Cloud. Launched in Sweden in 2008 as a legal alternative to music piracy, the company now claims more than ten million registered users. The company boasts more than 1.6 million paying subscribers across seven European countries and the U.S. marks the eighth territory. With a ratio of well over 15 percent paying subscribers to active free users, Spotify is growing fast. During the beta phase, Spotify offers three services, from free to paid subscriptions. The free service features occasional advertising and the paid services feature ad-free content and offline listening. Spotify’s U.S. launch is in partnership with such exclusive partners as Coca-Cola and Sprite, Chevrolet, Motorola, and Reebok.
ALA Releases New PSAs
ALA has announced that four new public service announcements are available for placement on library websites. Our Authors, Our Advocates: Authors Speak Out for Libraries enlisted well-known authors from around the nation to become articulate and powerful spokespeople for libraries. A web resource, entitled “Cultivating Your Local Notables Toolkit,” allows library supporters to do the same at the local level. The presidential initiative of Roberta Stevens, immediate past president of ALA, this project provides public service announcements for sharing with library advocates everywhere.
NOW App Points Users to Information Targets
Shape5.com has released NOW, a flexible platform to provide easy and quick access to the “most desired” information about your library. NOW is a library-branded app and a mobile Web presence in one. It is based on a simple navigational structure, taking users directly to the information that’s relevant for them. Libraries may structure the app to suit the needs of their users; as an example, the app can be organized by population (adults, teens, kids). Flexible content submission provides for automatic updating through RSS feeds, e-mail, or a content management system. It can also be automatically published as a mobile website for those users who prefer the browser experience. The mobile-enabled website mirrors the exact same content as the app. An integrated calendar presents library events; users tap any event to view details, add the event to their personal calendar, and share the event with others. The NOW app is designed for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Android compatibility is on the way.
Gale Launches Librareo for LIS Students
Gale recently announced Librareo, a free Web-based community that supports the future of libraries and librarianship by providing students enrolled in library and information studies (LIS) programs with free access to the professional resources they’ll rely upon following graduation.
LIS students in the U.S. and Canada who sign up for Librareo will get free, unlimited access to the most-requested online Gale resources throughout their library school career, such as Academic One-File, Gale Virtual Reference Library—including access to 115 e-books commonly used in libraries today, Powerspeak Languages and several In Context products, among others. LIS students will also have access to the Librareo message board and forum, operated by library thought-leaders and LIS faculty, giving them the opportunity to make contacts and solicit timely advice and best practices from experts. Students can gain access to all of the great resources housed on Librareo without any fees or commitments—they only need to register on the Librareo site.
Boopsie Debuts Spanish-Language Mobile App
Boopsie and CoverCake have simplified mobile discovery of books covered by pop media. Boopsie has announced that it will offer access to CoverCake’s book discovery platform, which makes it easy for consumers to find books mentioned by such popular media as news magazines, radio, and daytime talk shows. CoverCake has created a platform that tracks, organizes, and presents book and author information highlighted on such shows as NPR, Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and The View. Clicking on the book takes the user to a page with a brief synopsis, author information, and a list of shows and movies that have featured that particular title. CoverCake allows consumers to find books featured in the last twelve months. CoverCake also provides information on whether a book is available at a local library or via online booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Google Books. Separately, CoverCake is available as an iPad app, and an Android version is slated for release soon CoverCake content will be available as a separate channel on Boopsie for Libraries apps. In addition to providing information about the book and its availability at the library, patrons will be able to immediately check out books or place them on hold via their mobile devices. Boopsie customers can add the CoverCake channel to their mobile app free of charge.
EasyBib Releases New Features
EasyBib recently introduced new features to its bibliography-generating product. Users now have the option of linking their bibliographies to an existing Google Docs file, or creating a new one from EasyBib. EasyBib is an automatic bibliography composer that helps writers and students format their sources quickly and accurately. EasyBib users with iPhones can use the slick app that scans a book’s barcode to generate a bibliographic citation. The Web-based interface is designed for both automatic generation of citations and manual entry of data elements. In addition, EasyBib’s website now shows citations as soon as they are created through Realtime Feed. EasyBib is a service of ImagineEasy Solutions.
Gale Releases JungleSpeak App
This summer Gale launched JungleSpeak, a new K-8–oriented app based on the award-winning Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia. JungleSpeak features animal New Product News sounds and videos, offers detailed animal descriptions and quick facts, and gives users the ability to digitally color animal pictures. It is available for all iOS devices including the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. The app is free and additional modules/content are available for a small fee.
Gale Debuts Enhanced Career Transitions Resource
Gale recently announced major enhancements to Career Transitions, its online career service tool. The features include a new user interface, reporting tools for gauging user activity and additional job-seeking and career exploration activities. New features include interactive interview practice, matching experience to new careers, and report generation based on career search trends and specific advice sought by users. Other additions include updates for more than 1,100 careers; 1,000 videos including “Day in the Life” interviews with people in different fields; spotlights on new and emerging careers, as well as green careers; a career ladder that positions similar opportunities according to education/training level; and an education/training finder to match careers with education and training programs from post-secondary institutions and online continuing education courses. Enhancements were implemented based on extensive customer and user feedback.
Recorded Books Launches Universal Class Database
Recorded Books recently announced the launch of Universal Class, an online educational service. Universal Class provides diverse course offerings for lifelong learners. The Universal Class catalog lists more than five hundred online continuing education classes. With streaming video, website avatars, instructional content, tutors, and a social networking experience, Universal Class provides options to help lifelong learners achieve their educational goals. Classes are both self-paced and instructor-led. Students may earn a CEU Certificate of Course Completion that documents their final grade, along with other assessment information.
