Status of epub creation and publication (2012); standards; philosophy; scholarly links-footnotes-annotations; ePub3 updates; CSS3 impact; DRM; fake ePubs-iBookAuthor; OPF file tree structure; xhtml elements; suggested apps; structural thoughts; optimal image sizes; starting files dictate paths; sigil; validators; packagers-calibre; sales rights; distribution; readers - Adobe Digital Editions - Stanza-BlueFire-iBook; watch to watch - changes; learn more.

1. ePubs in (early) 2012
Walter Lewis & Diane Bédard
OLA SuperConference 2012

2. Standards?
What is ePub?
spec defined by IDPF - International Digital Publishing
Forum
Who is IDPF? adobe, google, overdrive, kobo, sony,
world blind union, random house, daisy etc
… a trades group, not a standards group
PREVIOUS - ePub 2.0.1 (2010)
CURRENT - ePub 3.0 (Oct 2011)

3. ePub2 Philosophy write once/read anywhere
lots of devices/same file
screen agnostic…
 screen flow regardless of size (aka
Dynamic Layout)

4. Scholarly?
 foot notes VS end notes
 citation?
 anchors for a reference?
 embedded milestones to cite from?
 need for back links (not there yet)

5. ePub3 Philosophy packaged HTML content
 audio,
video, objects, colour
fixed layout – working group
tablet-like devices (high end)

6. ePub3
 incorporates features defined by CSS3 Modules and
introduces EPUB-specific CSS constructs.
 defines a restricted subset of SVG 1.1
 defines a set of extensions to the W3C HTML5
document model that Authors may include in XHTML
Content Documents.
 requires XHTML Syntax of HTML5 (5 unfinished)
 scripting and form support are optional
… a conformant Reading System might not be a fullyconformant HTML5 User Agent

7. ePub3
 It is highly likely that this will render obsolete the
current crop of "one-trick pony" light ePub readers
(sony, kobo etc)
 Enter the tablet… full colour, full motion, add apps,
multimedia.. Moved beyond “just the book”

8. iBooksAuthor (.ibooks file)
Apple extension (proprietary)
iPad running iBook app
fixed layout (no re-flow)
accessibility: audio vs. font size
targeting textbook market
distribution/marketing rights?

9. DRM (don’t really mean it?)
Four main ebook DRM schemes at present:
 Adobe's Adept DRM (overdrive, sony)
 Apple's Fairplay DRM (ibook)
 Barnes & Noble's DRM (nook/kobo)
 Amazon's DRM (kindle)
…and “removers” readily available ;-)

10. Structure
of OPF
(why you
want to use
a packager)

11. Xhtml elements

12. Apps we suggest Software (mac/win/linux):
 Calibre:
 ePub Convertor and packager, epub reader
 Sigil:
 a dedicated EPUB editor
 Adobe Digital Editions:
 ePub reader, DRM tester (no linux)
 Dreamweaver or any clean markup editor

13. Structural thoughts #1
 reader app has driver’s seat, will show all content and
likely ignore some design
 XHTML and CSS **MUST** be UTF-8 or UTF-16 BOM
so make sure your editor of choice does this /ensure you
SAVE as this format
 supply all elements (internal to pub package) , not
externally linked

14. Structural thoughts #2
 image element (inline)
 formats allowed are .gif, .png, .jpg, .svg
 alt tag REQUIRED
 object element for anything else
 (very weak support for this element)
Optimal image sizes (OPTIMIZE for WEB)

15. Optimal image sizes
 reminder to OPTIMIZE for WEB
 cover images:
 590 pixels wide x 750 pixels high
 resolution should be 72 pixels per inch (ppi)
 color images saved in RGB colour space
 format can be JPEG, GIF, or PNG.
 Max widths for inside images:


Small mobile screens - assume 320 px wide
dedicated readers - assume 590 px wide

16. Options:
Start with a .DOC
Save
as
HTML

17. MS:HTML vs.
the real stuff

18. Options:
Start with .PAGES
Images:
FLOAT
vs.
INLINE

19. ePub with .PAGES

20. Build with

21. Validators: check your "finished” package
FlightCrew (http://code.google.com/p/flightcrew/)
better tool...download & install Mac, Win, Linux
threepress epub validator
(http://threepress.org/document/epub-validate)
online but often unclear error messages
Other Validators:
xhtml validator (http://validator.w3.org)
idpf validator (http://validator.idpf.org)

22. Packaging it up: CALIBRE

23. iBooks Author (NOT an ePub)

24. iBooks Author:
Sales/distribution rights?

25. Outcome: (on computer)
in Calibre

26. Outcome: (on computer)
Adobe DIGITAL EDITIONS
Img FLOAT – ok
UL – square but…

27. Outcome: (on computer or tablet )
in STANZA
Img FLOAT
working

28. Outcome: (on tablet)
Readers…

29. Outcome: ePub (on tablet)
Img FLOAT issues
in orientation

30. Outcome: iBook (on tablet)
 Fixed Display…

31. Distribution
•Put in your library website
•Bonus points – point to it in the
catalogue (marc 856 tag)
•Upload to iBooks
•Sell to Amazon
•ePub hosting sites
•OPDS – RSS-like feed for ePub

32. Distribution

33. Distribution

34. What to watch…
•Evolving standards…. to ePub3/HTML5
•Fixed layout format push for specialized formats
•Rise of the tablet – to handle new medias
•Re-purposed browsers, rather than built-up
reader apps
•DRM issues

35. Learn more…
ePubs Made Easy:
OLA Educational Institute – 3 weekly sessions
( April 25 to May 9)
… online – with homework! ;-)