Virtual Scholarship: University Presses Release New Apps

Publishers recognize the potential of these enhanced books-as-apps, but even straightforward e-books pose resource challenges. Several university presses are finding creative ways to enhance their e-books, however, including by addressing illustrated books, or the "problem children," as described in Gregory Britton's recent Exchange article "Planet of the Apps".

With the Gems and Jewels iPad app, released in May, Chicago brings the dazzling Field Museum collection to the reader in beautiful, detailed images. The print version of the book also has brilliant illustrations. But, making full use of digital capabilities, the app images are high-resolution and enabled with zoom capabilities and gyroscopic interaction (3-D spins)—or, in the words of Garrett Kiely, Chicago's director, "an opportunity to experience a museum collection like never before." Even for avid museum-goers, who can see the Field Museum's beautiful collection in person, the app allows them to virtually reach into the display case and examine precious artifacts from all angles.

The Museum of Modern Art has also jumped onto the iPad platform with the launch of MoMA Books in April. The MoMA Books app lets readers purchase digitized MoMA books, full of quality high-resolution images. Six books were available for purchase upon the app's launch, with more to be added in the near future. MoMA further enhanced the app by making it more than a digital bookstore: users can also shop for and purchase MoMA's print books and purchase museum admission through the app.

While the MoMA and Chicago projects primarily take advantage of the iPad's large, high-resolution color display, the University of Hawaii Press taps into its portability and interactivity. Also in April, Hawaii released a set of companion "flashcard" apps for their Korean language textbooks (the popular KLEAR series). The apps are available for both the iPad and the smaller screen of the iPhone. They feature digital flash cards, interactive vocabulary lists, and a quick search for the definition of textbook vocabulary.

With the recent proliferation of color tablets, why did all three presses choose to use the iPad as their platform? "We were very impressed with The Elements, which Touch Press had developed for the iPad," explains Christie Henry, the editorial director for Gems and Jewels at Chicago. When Chicago first pitched the project in spring 2010, the iPad was the leading color tablet with exceptional screen resolution for illustration-centric works, perfect for a text like Gems and Gemstones. Chris Hudson, publisher for MoMA, opted for the iPad "because tablets were the first mobile devices on which art can look really good. And we went specifically for the iPad because of Apple's early and deep penetration of this market." Even for Hawaii's flashcard app, which is more utilitarian, the superior display of the iPad was a deciding factor: "The app is in color, so the iPhone/iTouch/iPad seemed the best place to try these out," notes William Hamilton, press director.

Creating innovative products has also forced the presses to test new publishing processes, often involving more time and more tasks than originally budgeted. For Chicago, iPads were still a year or two away when the original print Gems and Jewels was released, so when the app was conceived, each project had separate production budgets and costs—including extensive special photography for the app that had to be done after-hours in the Field Museum. In the case of MoMA Books, "our vendor said he thought he'd need to write 1,000 lines of code," recalls MoMA's Hudson, "but needed to write 100,000."

Another significant consideration for app projects is selecting the right developer. "The challenge we, and many others, face is finding the right developers, as we don't have the staff or work flow to create these in house," says Henry. While the press may be able to design most of the app—as MoMA did—the production process can be a challenge when, Henry observes, "the ecosystem of app developers who also have an appreciation for the book and the reading experience seems quite limited; many more of them seem to have a gaming or tech background."

Even so, the publishers sound hopeful about their ventures. Hamilton notes that Hawaii's KLEAR app holds a five-star rating in the App Store and was downloaded 2,500 times in its first two and a half months on the market. "The beauty of the app is that it is useful primarily to users of the textbook, so we are enhancing the texts, not replacing them—[or] losing sales," notes Hamilton. MoMA Books was selected as one of the "10 Essential iPad Apps for Publication Designers" in June by the Society for Publication Design. And Chicago is exploring the possibility of launching other illustrated science apps, and also pursuing apps as companions to "more textually driven books"—particularly reference works.

"While apps are a new and exciting idea for university presses," says Hamilton, "I think school is still out on whether they will provide enough revenue to offset the investment. At the same time, I am enjoying being involved in the process. This really is an exciting time for publishers. Now back to my iPad."

Regan Colestock
Communications Coordinator, AAUP