This time last year, an eBook was a black and white electronic replica of the print book and apps were the preserve of out-of-work techies looking to get rich quick by persuading millions of iPhone enthusiasts to part with $0.99 for software that allowed them to endlessly pop bubble wrap or drink beer (shake the screen for more foam). Now the publishing industry is abuzz with eBook apps and publishers are racing to turn best-selling books into best-selling iPad apps. Enhanced Editions has been turning long narrative fiction into award-winning iPhone apps since 2009, working with a variety of material, from Philip Pullman through Sex and the City to Obama. Rhys Cazenove, one of the company's founders, talks to MPS about turning novels into best-selling apps, enhanced eBooks beyond the iPad, and why publishers need to jump into the fire.

Are eBook apps just a flash in the pan sparked by the iPad hype?

Consumer demand for enhanced versions of eBooks will certainly grow. What we don't know is what shape these enhanced eBooks will take. Will it be Apple? Will apps continue to be the format of choice, or will there be a new medium, one not yet conceived? We're not wedded to apps but right now apps, particularly on an iPhone or iPad, are the best way of presenting - and selling - this content to the market. iPads may come and go but the opportunities for enhanced eBooks are going to continue to grow, and grow fast.

Usage statistics are becoming increasingly important for libraries, not just for their journal collections but also for eBooks. Standardized COUNTER usage reports are already the norm for journals, and in August, Project COUNTER announced an annual audit to assess the COUNTER-compliancy of eBook vendors. MPS interviewed two influential figures in the library world - Sue Polanka of No Shelf Required fame, and Celeste Feather from LYRASIS - to learn more about the librarians' perspective on usage statistics and COUNTER reports for eBooks.

What's the current status with eBook usage statistics?

Sue Polanka: Measuring eBook usage is just as important as journal usage. We want and need to see how eBooks are being used, and that's why libraries are now demanding COUNTER. This is particularly important because librarians are still skeptical of eBooks, and they want to see proof that people are actually using them. Once they have evidence of the usage then they will be more comfortable about buying eBooks.

How many eBook suppliers are already COUNTER-compliant?

Sue Polanka: I did a survey of seven suppliers back in 2009, asking them about COUNTER-compliance, and found that all but one of these vendors were already compliant. That last vendor has since adopted COUNTER.
[To read Sue's article on this click here; you can also download the survey results from her blog here.]