-----Original Message-----
From: Graham Titley
Sent: 11 November 2008 15:47
To: Nicola Tricker
Subject: RE: SED and digital editions

Much of the discussion, help and information on this topic is shared on LIS-ILL, the list for interlibrary loans and document delivery staff.

Following a recent meeting, the position in regard to Adobe Acrobat Reader & Adobe Digital Editions is as follows:
Providing you use Adobe Digital Editions to run de-encryption/authentication of documents it does not matter what version of Adobe Acrobat Reader you have installed.
Adobe are migrating the document encryption level support for Reader & Digital Editions from Adobe Content Server 3 to 4.  Content Server 4 is not backwardly compatible and so will not be able to support document authentication utilising Reader version 6 or 7, only versions 8 or better.  These later versions require Adobe Digital Editions to perform the document authentication and handle the document de-encryption process.  Therefore, from March 2009 no new user profiles will be allowed to be created on the Adobe authentication website through Reader 6 or 7.  Content Server 3 and 4 are now being operated concurrently, with authentication support for Reader versions 6 & 7 being completely withdrawn in September 2009 when Content Server 4 will become the only operational standard.
The basic suggestion is that all users should be encouraged to start using Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) now in order to minimise the impact of the change to the new Server standard.  The problem is that Adobe have still not provided a version of Digital Editions that IT departments can package and roll out centrally as part of a 'cold' computer profile.  This means that ADE is an on demand install - done once (except for being forced to run upgrades!) by users using their own computers or staff/researchers with a static profile on their office computers, whilst for Open Access users with a roving profile the program has to be installed every time you log-in and want to run an SED.  Despite over 12 months of constant pressure from ourselves (and other UK & US institutions) the closest we have come to any resolution for this issue is the promise recently made to The British Library - a version of ADE which will be capable of central installation will be released in April 2009 (mentioned in the SED FAQs (number 10) 21st Oct 2008 & reaffirmed in a BL meeting on 6th November).  BL insist that the promise was a commitment and that the file will be released and available - me, I'm a little more sceptical and will wait and see (for instance, posted on the ADE User Forum on October 30th, ADE staff did not acknowledge to an American user that the product is even timetabled for April when asked the question about when a version for central install would be released, simply stating that they are aware of a number of requests and that it will be considered for a future release  - doesn't exactly instill confidence!).
Yes, there are problems with ADE - it's not recognised by IE7/Mozilla/Firefox as an e-book reader; limited device authentications (tell your users not to authorise computers; if you reach 6 authenticated devices then you are blocked and your profile can only be reset by Adobe Technical Support); open access users losing access if they log-off before printing; not being able to print or only printing odd pages; poor document batching over networks to printers without (or with only a small amount of) local memory etc etc.  But this is the process available so we have to use it.  Staff and users will and do learn how to use it and it can deliver documents faster than snail mail and directly to the user wherever they may be using email.  We provide over 90% of copy requests via SED - practically all downloaded by users.  However, roll on the day when BL can offer a non-encrypted e-document delivery service!

Graham Titley
Document Delivery and Copyright Librarian
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth
PL4 8AA

Tel: 01752 587162 or 587161
Email: [log in to unmask]

_______________________________________
From: A general Library and Information Science list for news and discussion. [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Arthur, Jane [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 11 November 2008 11:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: SED and digital editions

This is a rather specific query, but as I am not aware of a discussion list/forum for users of the BL SED service, I thought I would try the lis-link and see what happens..

We use the BL SED service and get  journal article requests delivered directly to our users. This works fine, by and large, for our staff, who have their own dedicated workstations, and also for students accessing these at home or via own laptops. However, we have a real problem with our workstations in LRCs, where students log in with a 'roaming profile' , because BL will be requiring all users of SEDs to use Adobe digital editions (instead of Adobe 7).


"From early 2009, the Digital Rights Management (DRM) software that provides the encryption for your SED documents will no longer be supported. From that time, Adobe Digital Editions will be required to receive SED documents. "

Our technical support has contacted an HE technical forum and received messages agreeing that this is a real problem (Bangor, Dundee, Napier, Lincoln and others), but I am just wondering why I have heard nothing from the libraries front. Is this an issue for colleagues, and if so, how are you handling it?

Pls pass this on to relevant colleagues - and apologies if this is of no interest to you! Thanks, Jane


Jane Arthur
Assistant Director
Learning & Information Services
University of Hertfordshire
College Lane
Hatfield
Herts
AL10 9AB

e: [log in to unmask]
t: 01707 285770
f: 01707 285768