Member Article

123Library offers publishers affordable B2B eBook distribution tool

Specialist eBook platform 123Library.org has developed an innovative service to provide publishers with their own branded cloud-based platform from which to deliver titles directly to institutions, corporations and libraries.

The UK-based eBook supplier to academic institutions is filling an existing gap in the market by providing an affordable tool to deliver eBooks, effectively levelling the playing field for smaller and medium-sized publishing companies.

Once hosted on the 123Library.org platform, publishers have access to 123Library’s advanced streaming technology, search functionality and comprehensive management facilities for librarians to deliver eBooks to customers under their own brand. They can also opt to make collections visible exclusively to their customers.

Sabine Guerry, 123Library CEO, said: “Many publishers can’t deliver their eBooks to libraries because of the high cost and the time necessary to develop a complex eBook platform for institutions which complies with all their requirements. They have to resort to aggregators who understandably focus on major institutions and large publishers. Small lists can be easily overlooked on an aggregator’s website containing half a million titles, which means their publishers don’t receive the enquiries they deserve.

“In order to give this segment of the publishing industry a state-of-the-art platform from which to distribute their titles, we decided to make our advanced technology available to publishers at a very affordable price.”

Sabine adds: “This new service opens a new era to publishers, who will regain control over their sales. Our Hosted Retailer Service offers a broad range of business models, and publishers can also tender directly for public contracts, as the 123Library platform meets all the technical requirements.”

Since the official launch of its hosted eBook distribution service at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October, 123Library.org has been in discussions with a number of independent publishers. Leading independent global publisher Kogan Page has already signed up to the new service to distribute its specialist professional eBooks.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by James Welton .