For I can’t read the Apabi ebook from the Hong Kong Public Libraries on my iriver ebook reading device, I had sent an email to them about the ebook formats.
Apabi ebook DOES NOT support MAC/LINUX, mobile devices and ebook reading devices.
The latest trend is e-Pub format by Adobe. This format is adopted by the U.S. public libraries, and had also made Sony gave up their proprietary format .lrx
The reply mail from the Hong Kong Public Libraries:
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Thank you for your email dated 10 August regarding our Chinese eBook services.
The Apabi Chinese eBook Collection, launched in 2007, is one of the Hong Kong Public Libraries’ electronic resource collections for use by library users remotely via the Internet. Founder Electronic, the Apabi Ebook service provider, is a leading player in China’s e-book market, with more than 500 Chinese publishers as content providers and with one of its
operating platforms and service models specifically tailored for library services. The Apabi Reader, the proprietary ebook reader, for reading the Chinese ebooks, has been in use and continuously enhanced since 2003. We were recently informed by the service-provider that an Apabi Reader for Iphone and Ipad for reading their Chinese ebook titles would be launched soon.
We are aware of the growing popularity of ebooks and portable ebook reading devices and the rapidly expanding market in these areas both locally, nationally and overseas. We consider the provision of electronic resources that are compatible with portable /mobile reading devices, such as ebooks in e-pub format, is a much needed feature for the convenience of readers. Mobile reading capability is, therefore, one of the factors we consider in selecting electronic resources for continuous collection development. We will keep in view the market conditions and the emerging electronic publishing standards, with a view to sourcing and acquiring more suitable ebook collections at a most suitable service model for meeting the needs of our library users.
Thank you once again for your support of our library service.
Yours sincerely,
Fanny TSE
For Director of Leisure and Cultural Services