EditionGuard now offers Readium LCP as a newly supported offering. EditionGuard has added it for all EditionGuard subscribers. But what is Readium LCP? And why did we decide to add this ebook DRM solution?
What Is Readium LCP?
Readium LCP is a digital rights management (DRM) solution. It is also based on open collaboration. Accordingly, Readium provides “Licensed Content Protection” – LCP – for authors and publishers. Unlike Adobe Content Service (ACS), authors and publishers developed Readium FOR authors and publishers.
Benefits of Readium LCP
Certainly one of the biggest advantages of Readium LCP is its user experience (UX). Significantly, the DRM solution uses a passcode authentication. The result is that it is not only easier for readers to access their books but also provides essential protection for sellers, publishers, and libraries.
Readium LCP Mitigates Risk
Readium meets GDPR compliance requirements. This therefore makes it easier for indie authors and publishers to reach a worldwide audience. In addition, the app is built using best-standard content encryption. Specifically, the encryption includes AES 256 bits encryption for content and content keys and SHA-256 for user passphrases.
What Formats Can Readium LCP Protect?
Readium is a comprehensive DRM solution. Their content protection is available for EPUB 2 and EPUB 3. This includes content with embedded audio and video, PDFs, and audiobooks. The result is a versatile alternative to ACS. For authors and publishers who require more flexibility without sacrificing security, there are many benefits of Readium. According to Readium, their goal is to:
“provide a set of software building blocks (software development kits as well as utilities and glue that facilitates the construction of a wide spectrum of robust, performant reading systems. It is the intent to enable a platform that can be easily adapted to supporting a variety of digital publishing formats, including:
- EPUB 2.x and 3.x
- Audio books
- Image-based books (e.g. Manga, etc.)
- Web Pub
Why Readium LCP?
Readium was created by Readium members and managed by EDRLab. EDRLab suggests the following reasons why every publisher should adopt Readium:
- A vendor-neutral solution: the publishing industry is directly leading the operation of this DRM via EDRLab.
- Interoperable by design; any publishing company can become an LCP license provider. Any technical organisation can develop an LCP compliant reading app.
- No cost per transaction: the only cost for license providers is a cost of certification of their solution.
- Cost effective: EDRLab is a non-profit organisation. It has adopted a simple cost recovery model for Readium LCP.
- Great for library lending: Readium LCP allows for loan extension and advanced return of a loaned ebook.
- Accessible: the EU Accessibility act will require all distributors of digital publications to offer accessible services to their end users by 2022. DRM is part of such services.
- It doesn’t leak personal data: the encryption tool and the license server are deployed by the license provider. No third party will gain access to user data, usage statistics or unencrypted ebook content. The result is a decentralized architecture that brings robustness to the overall solution.
- Easy to integrate in a reading app: Thanks to the open-source software developed by EDRLab, a library is seamlessly added to the Readium SDK.
- Because it is easy to integrate in publishing solution, thanks to the open-source multi-platform DRM server developed by EDRLab.
EditionGuard Is Proud to Partner with Readium
As part of the non-profit Readium foundation, EditionGuard support a cause born out of real needs of publishers. All the while, it gives us the ability to offer the fruits of collaboration to our own customers.
We think very highly of all our peers in Readium. We are proud to be part of it. In fact, it is our belief is that Readium holds the best interests of publishers across the world at heart. Finally, they uphold good user experience standards.
