Baker & Taylor and Boopsie Announce Integration of the Axis 360 Digital Media Platform with Boopsie Mobile Library Apps

-- Integration with Axis 360 provides seamless on-the-go experience for users on smartphones and tablets --

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Jul 29, 2014, 08:00 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker & Taylor, the premier worldwide distributor of digital and print books and entertainment products, announced today that it has integrated its Axis 360 digital media platform with Boopsie, the leading mobile app platform-as-a-service provider for libraries worldwide.

For Axis 360-enabled libraries that use a library-branded app created by Boopsie to enable mobile access to their websites, patrons will now have the ability to access the entire Axis 360 digital repository from their smartphone and tablet of choice. Boopsie provides an intuitive and visually appealing interface optimized for mobile devices with its native app platform. In 2013, 80% of American's time on mobile devices was spent in apps vs only 20% on mobile websites. Leveraging the Axis 360 API, library customers can now discover, check out and download ebooks and digital audiobooks directly to their devices in a seamless, easy and straightforward in-app experience.

"With our fully compatible technologies, libraries can now deliver a more complete and easy-to-use experience to patrons who are on the go," said George Coe, Baker & Taylor's President and CEO. "Library users are increasingly making use of library services without setting foot in the physical library building, so integrating ebooks and audiobooks into the platform of a widely used library app goes a long way toward meeting and exceeding those raised expectations."

"The integration of Boopsie and Axis 360 creates a great mobile user experience and pays big dividends for libraries," says Tony Medrano, Boopsie's CEO. "By pairing the substantial number of Axis 360 titles with the Boopsie mobile application in a smoothly integrated platform, libraries can attract new customers, boost circulation and achieve a higher ROI on their investment in digital content—all without IT resources."

Baker & Taylor has previously announced multi-point integrations with the leading integrated library system and discovery-layer providers to make the user experience for discovering and enjoying digital media completely user-friendly and centered on the library's website. Axis 360 delivers Acoustik™ digital audiobooks, as well as ebooks in EPUB, PDF and Blio formats, to PC and Mac computers, laptops and netbooks, to smartphones and tablets running on Android and iOS, and to popular ereaders such as NOOK®, Sony Reader™ and Kobo™.

About Baker & Taylor
Baker & Taylor, Inc. is the premier worldwide distributor of books, digital content and entertainment products. The company offers cutting-edge digital media services and innovative technology platforms to thousands of publishers, libraries, schools and retailers worldwide. Baker & Taylor also offers industry-leading customized library services and retail merchandising solutions. Charlotte, N.C.-based Baker & Taylor is majority owned by Castle Harlan Partners IV, L.P., an institutional private equity fund managed by Castle Harlan, Inc., a leading private equity investment firm. For more information, please visit www.baker-taylor.com.

About Boopsie
Boopsie, Inc. was founded in Silicon Valley in 2006. It is the industry-leading mobile Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) provider for over 2,500 library locations worldwide. Its custom-branded native mobile apps for libraries are affordable, easy to deploy and maintain, and enable libraries of all types and sizes to quickly acquire new users and increase circulation. Boopsie's library-branded mobile apps are fully hosted and maintained by our customer service organization. We build native mobile apps for libraries on Android, iOS, Windows Phone 8, Windows Mobile, Windows 8, Kindle Fire, and BlackBerry platforms. Boopsie enables 24/7 remote library access via the user's device of choice. Boopsie has seen a rapid 50% growth in libraries using library-branded mobile apps on their platform, and has been able to deliver similar increases in patrons and circulation to its customers. Visit www.boopsie.com for more information about Boopsie's mobile apps for libraries.

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SOURCE Baker & Taylor