Colleagues:

You may have seen a press release from the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) yesterday about a project engaging with the challenge of aggregating, analyzing, and communicating open access ebook usage information. We are writing to ask for help in enriching this project.

How to deal with the fact that data about use of ebooks is spread out across many different platforms is a problem for all of us, but it becomes particularly acute when usage rather than sales is a major measure of "success" (as it is for authors, publishers, and funders of open access ebooks). With the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Lucy Montgomery and Cameron Neylon of KU Research have coordinated the writing of a draft white paper about the issue, which also proposes the formation of a "data trust" framework to alleviate it, as is common in other industries. 

BISG is inviting you to read this white paper and provide some feedback, either through commenting directly in the Google Doc or completing a short survey after reading it. Responses will inform a summit of platform providers, funders, standards bodies, publishers, and librarians facilitated by Katherine Skinner and happening in New York in early December. Expect a final version of the white paper in the spring, laying the foundations of some next steps.

If these issues resonate with you, please read the draft white paper and help improve it through your comments.

All best wishes,

Charles

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