The Sentient Search Engine

Overdrive has FINALLY released an Overdrive Media Console app for the iPhone. All I can say is: Yippie!! I like the functionality overall and I’m delighted by the fact that this service is wirelessly available to even more customers out there.

It not perfect of course as it only works with MP3 Audiobooks: no WMA, no Music, no Movies, no eBooks. It also has crashed on me a couple times. Still IT’S A START. I imagine WMA functionality will come around and bugs will work out over time.

Some thoughts on what Libraries need to do now:

1. We need MOBILE versions of our Overdrive catalogs. Trying to navigate my library’s standard site on my iPhone is…eh…painful. Since the app relies on the the library digital collection sites for browsing, it is imperative that we make it as easy as possible folk mobile browsers. Better yet we need to achieve better integration of our digital collections into our catalogs so we don’t need separate digital catalogs.
2. We really need to ramp up our offerings. My library’s selection is significantly better than it used to be back when we started, but we really need to pick things up now, because we can really reach pretty much every mobile device at this point. Now that folks can download material from us just like they can from the iTunes Store THERE NEEDS TO BE STUFF THERE. I think it’s time to start shifting Audiobook money to our digital collections. There’s no need for anything radical, but we need to invest far more than most do now.
3. We also need to start getting multiple licences more systematically. While customers I help with this service are remarkably accepting of the need for hold lists, I still feel that instant gratification expectations need to be satisfied as much as possible, especially considering that this newfound accessibility is (hopefully) going to ramp up demand for the service. If we want to win over more converts we need to make it as pleasant an experience as possible. Given that many libraries are part of consortia arrangements for our eContent, this becomes all the more important as it spreads the demand for the titles over larger populations.

The following is a snippet of a chat reference transaction I just had today. Specifics have been changed for anonymity’s sake, but the substance remains.

Chat Reference Question: do you know anything about hockey?

Me: (canned greeting and request for time to read the question)

Me: Okay. What specifically did you need to know about hockey?

Questioner: i dont know what you mean by that

Me: You asked the question “do you know anything about hockey” and I wanted to know if there was anything in particular about hockey you needed to know.

Questioner: oh yea i wanted information on that

Co-worker: What’s that sound?

Me: (I stop hitting my head on the wall) Me. Sorry…

It pretty much went downhill from there…but I gave him a damn good answer…once he figured out what he wanted…

Back in September, I shared a theory of mine based on a job posting on the Overdrive Media corporate page. Basically I postulated that an Overdrive App for iPhone was coming that would allow the user to order and download electronic titles from their library. I have new evidence that I’m right. Behold!! Overdrive Media Console for Windows Mobile! Could a version for the worlds most popular phone be far behind (yes, but its coming thats my point!)

It’s interesting what you learn when you are in the habit of poking around in the job postings companies put on their websites. I was touring around Overdrive’s corporate site and decided they might be looking for a librarian (they serve a lot of libraries after all). I found nothing I was qualified for, but I did find this:

Application Developer – Apple Mac OS X/iPhone OS  

The Developer’s responsibilities include developing and supporting Apple Cocoa and Cocoa Touch applications. Development responsabilities will require creating engaging multimedia Mac and iPhone programs that use web-connected technologies.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinating and participating in the implementation, testing, and supportof Mac and iPhone-based applications using Objective-C, Cocoa/Cocoa Touch, XCode 3, and the iPhone SDK.
• Programming, developing, and producing connected iPhone applications that communicate through web services to a host data source
• Maintenance of the code-base using Subversion source control database. Support to product management and business development teams for various projects
• Explicit and thorough documentation of all source code and resources, both in project documentation and in-code comments
• Assist in testing all applications against software and hardware versions. Provide timely turnaround and documentation of bug fixes during test cycle.
• Other duties as assigned

Desired Experience:

• Degree in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, or equivalent experience
• Experience with Apple OS X 10.5, XCode 3.1, and Subversion.
• Knowledge of Objective-C 2, Cocoa/Cocoa Touch Framework, SQLite3, XML
• Experience consuming XML-based web services
• Knowledge of REST, SOAP and other web service technologies
• Experience developing in a mobile platform environment, such as optimization techniques and resource conservation.
• Knowledge of Subversion a plus
• Having an existing application available in the Apple App Store a definite plus
• Microsoft .NET and C# experience a plus

Desired Skills:

• Skilled in HTML, JavaScript, DHTML, and XML

Desired Qualities:

• Knowledge of SQL and general database organization/implementation
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks based on project, urgency, etc
• Ability to coordinate tasks across multiple sites per project.  

Please email your resume and cover letter to jobs@overdrive.com.

It would appear that Overdrive is interested in creating an iPhone/iPod Touch app. I’m certainly interested in Overdrive making an iPhone/iPod Touch app. If you are a Mac savvy developer interested in making my day, please apply for this job and work as quickly as humanly possible to make this happen. K’Thanks!

Seriously, this is pretty big. When I think of how handy and relatively seamless the Kindle App and Stanza are, I get downright bubbly at the prospect of an iPhone app. Can you say wireless downloads? I just hope my prognosticating here isn’t too off base. At the very least this news along with recent news of Sony’s recent deal with Overdrive, gives me more reason than ever to have hope for the Library’s future as a digital content distributor.

It seems that Sony and library eBook provider Overdrive have come to an accord that will certainly benefit consumers. While users won’t be able to download and access a library’s eHoldings with the device, users will be directed to their libraries as a source of material AND the device is sure to play nice with Overdrive as well.

I have to admit that I despaired of ever seeing a big company acknowledge Libraries as a legitimate market. This deal benefits everyone. Sony gets good PR and librarian’s on their side (ironic given their past relations with the profession). Libraries get a viable means to participate in an eBook Reader market currently dominated by Amazon’s (locked down, Library unfriendly) Kindle. Overdrive gets the potential expansion of their user-base and likely an increase in title sales as libraries increase their purchases of Overdrive eBooks to meet increased demand for services.

Users will hopefully get more choice and therefore look to gain the most. Choice forces all participants in the market work harder to get consumer dollars. The best possible outcome for this deal will be for this sort of support for library customers to become standard. Ultimately, I’d love for library patrons to be able to access their library’s collections wirelessly with the 3G capabilities of some of these devices. Hopefully, if Sony sees benefit from this new deal, that will come in time.