NetGalley, the digital galley and marketing platform, has launched an upgrade to its Reading Options, which includes the debut of a proprietary NetGalley Reader app and introduces LCP-protected downloads to the NetGalley platform. The global upgrade is now live across all NetGalley domains in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, and Japan. NetGalley is part of the Firebrand Group, which is owned by Media Do International.
As part of ongoing security efforts, NetGalley has replaced the older Adobe DRM with EDRLab's Readium Licensed Content Protection (LCP). However, e-reader devices that do not currently support LCP, including Kobo and Nook, will no longer be able to read NetGalley titles.
The new NetGalley Reader uses a proprietary digital content protection system designed by NetGalley. It "combines sophisticated cryptography techniques to lock digital content to specific users and devices, with a front-end UI layer to restrict attackers' abilities to lift decrypted content from the browser," according to the company, which added that NetGalley members can now start reading their approved books without having to leave the NetGalley website, download any files, or use an external device.
Members will continue to use the free NetGalley Shelf app (iOS and Android) as the exclusive way to listen to audiobooks.
"We're committed to making books easily and securely accessible to NetGalley members, however they like to read," said Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley chief technology officer Tom Shawver. "This major upgrade expands our Reading Options to allow for a seamless in-browser reading experience, while also strengthening our partnership with EDRLab to offer portable, Readium LCP-protected downloads. We're thrilled to pull from our extensive experience to create a simple and convenient reading platform for our community, and a first-of-its-kind content protection solution for our publishers."