As the books marketplace continues to evolve, EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) is committed to evolving with it, by prioritizing the changing needs of libraries and their patrons. This evolution relies on EBSCO’s investment in the books ecosystem and the ability to reimagine innovative, open and interoperable library workflows. Starting from discovery and acquisition to research and the end-user experience, these investments build upon the long-time strength of EBSCO's existing book services.
EBSCO is developing a new books ordering platform that will offer a modern, technology-driven approach to efficiently support the discovery, selection, acquisition, collection development and workflow integration needs of librarians.
The new platform will provide comprehensive collection development and acquisition tools for e-books, print books and related materials. It will include content from major academic publishers, popular e-book licensing models, sleek usability, improvements to support worldwide customers and value-added technical services. A diverse group of customers and publishers will aid in the concepting and development of the new platform. These include Austin Community College, The Claremont Colleges, Gettysburg College, Michigan State University, Orbis Cascade Alliance, University of Nebraska at Kearney, University of Oslo, University of Chicago, University of Liverpool, University of St. Andrews, De Gruyter, JSTOR, Taylor & Francis, Oxford University Press, Penguin Random House and Wiley.
EBSCO’s new ordering platform will seamlessly integrate with EBSCO products and services, open source resources including FOLIO and other key third-party workflow solutions and integrated library systems, for a more compelling user experience.
The new books ordering platform will be built upon EBSCO’s commitment to offer choice, open infrastructure and interoperability to customers worldwide. This dedication to choice is the foundation of EBSCO’s product development strategy, which centers around four key areas: content and collection development; interoperability and support for open systems; discovery and user experience; and customization, consultation and workflow support.
Recent developments that support these four areas include: EBSCOhost® and EBSCO Discovery Service™ (EDS) user interface enhancements for book discovery, viewing, and accessing EBSCO eBooks™ in the mobile app; GOBI’s ILS integrations including FOLIO and Alma; EBSCO eBooks Open Access Collection; and increased number of e-book platforms and expanded access models in GOBI.
In parallel with the planning and creation of a new books ordering platform, development of GOBI and EBSCOhostCollection Manager will continue. Upcoming enhancements include reading list software integration, enhanced e-book management controls, further support of open access e-books and expanded e-book platform and model offerings in GOBI. These recent and upcoming enhancements further reinforce EBSCO's commitment to meeting the ever-changing needs of the modern library.
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