Network Bulletin No.: 08-29
Date: August 15, 2008
Subject: Digital talking books (DTBs)
Index term: Draft NLS Policy on Download Approval by Network Libraries
Please find attached a draft NLS policy on download approval by network libraries. It was written to
clarify NLS policy and to assist in planning and programming for the post-pilot BARD Download web site.
Last week the policy was shared with the Digital Transition Advisory Committee (DTAC) on the DTAC
listserv. Send your comments on this draft to Carolyn Sung at [log in to unmask] by September 5, 2008.
Attachment
For further information contact:
Carolyn Hoover Sung
Chief, Network Division
[log in to unmask]
_____________________________________________________________________________________
DRAFT
NLS Policy on Download Approval by Network Libraries
Background
In October 2006, NLS implemented a download pilot with one hundred selected patrons.
The purpose of this pilot was to test the digital books NLS received from its producers. As
a secondary benefit, NLS was able to gain experience in the implementation and
maintenance of a download site and subsequently to learn what type of problems users
might encounter as they downloaded books (and later magazines) to read on players
provided by NLS. For the purpose of this test NLS acquired one hundred Victor Reader
Plus players that were modified specifically for NLS. The players used an external SD
card. From the beginning, NLS added books to the download site as they became
available. This process was incorporated into the regular workflow and new books (upon
approval by the Quality Assurance Section) continue to be added.
In the spring of 2006 NLS announced that it would have books available online by the
summer of 2007. This gave third-party player producers a time line for developing and
introducing players capable of reading NLS books. In early 2007 NLS began negotiating
with a number of third-party vendors who anticipated introducing players capable of playing
NLS books. In accordance with the agreements, NLS developed a software key that would
allow third party players to use NLS-produced books. In return vendors agreed to only
provide the key to purchasers who were certified as active users of the NLS program. By
mid 2008 two additional vendors had reached an agreement with NLS and through
software upgrades to their players can now also be used by eligible patrons to play NLS
downloaded books.
By the summer of 2007 patron demand for access to the download pilot began to
increase. Therefore NLS expanded the pilot download test to include any eligible patrons
who purchased a third party player. NLS then developed an online application for the
download. Patrons' applications were reviewed by the NLS Reference Section staff, who
checked against the patron's CMLS records and, if the information was identical,
approved patrons for participation in the download. Approval generated three e-mails: the
first to the patron providing the download URL, an ID, and a password; the second
notified the player vendor that the patron was approved for service and authorized
Humanware to provide a software key for its player. The third e-mail notified the
applicant's service library that the patron had been approved for the download and
requested that the library add the CMLS code DDB9 to the patron's magazine record.
This in turn created a transaction that updated the library's CMLS file, enabling the library
or NLS to easily track the number of readers approved for the download.
At the March 2008 Digital Transition Advisory Committee meeting at NLS, the COSLA
representatives indicated that COSLA was concerned that the download (now known as
NLS BARD) be identified with the service library not directly with NLS. NLS agreed with
this recommendation and offers the following policy.
Policy
As part of the full launch of BARD, NLS will take the following actions:
1. Devolve responsibility for approving patrons from NLS to network libraries.
2. Devolve responsibility for assisting patrons with download problems to the network.
3. Provide training to network for numbers 1 and 2.
4. Provide tech support to backup network libraries and resolve problems that cannot
be resolved at the network level.
5. Provide programming by which network libraries can, in one step, verify eligibility of
patrons.
6. Continue to provide to network libraries on a monthly basis readership and
circulation statistics for download and patron IDs tied to book numbers of downloaded
titles so libraries can maintain patron's "has-had" record.
Proposed procedures
When download (hereafter referred to as BARD) is opened to all eligible readers in 2009
(once NLS digital players are in production and being distributed to network machine-
lending agencies), NLS will provide a unique link for each network library to mount on its
web page or its patron agency's web page. When an individual's application for access
to BARD is received, it will be routed to the patron's service library for approval. The
library will still add the DDB9 code to the patron's magazine requests for tracking
purposes. To accomplish this NLS will make both the application (based on incoming
URL) and the site itself (based on the user's assigned library) look like they belong to the
network library by using the library's name, e-mail address, URL, phone number, and
logo on the site. NLS will provide training tools for network libraries to assist in (a) signing
up patrons and (b) assisting patrons with a variety of download problems. NLS will also
provide technical support to back up network libraries and to respond to inquiries that
cannot be answered locally.
Network libraries will be notified when a patron's application is available for review.
When retrieving the application information, the system will match it against the library's
CMLS record for the patron. If the information on both match, the library may approve at
that point. If there are discrepancies between the application and the CMLS record, the
library must resolve the discrepancy before the application can be approved.
Current patrons wishing to use BARD will need to go online and complete the registration
form. New patrons, applying for talking book service after BARD is launched, will have to
register online separately for BARD.
Statistics and "has-hads" records
Monthly statistics on active patrons and downloads, categorized by books and
magazines, as well as the actual book numbers of titles downloaded by each individual
patron have been provided to each network library by e-mail on a monthly basis since
October 2007. This will continue to be done. NLS will cumulate these statistics annually
and publish the number of patrons and download statistics by library.
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