14 DAY TRIAL // The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has released an app for the iPad that facilitates access to the ASHP library of eBooks.
The software was developed by Impelsys, ASHP’s eBooks technology partner. There are almost two dozen eBooks available for immediate download onto the iPad, with more to roll out in the coming weeks, the company said.
Apple usually doesn’t allow access to external venues from a single iOS app, so it remains to be seen whether ASHP eBooks will be making itself comfortable in the iTunes App Store.
The software basically acts as a gateway to the books you already own on ebooks.ashp.org. If no purchasing options are offered, the software should be here to stay.
In the meanwhile, Carol Wolfe, vice president, publications and drug information systems of ASHP, says: “Our members wanted a more seamless system to download ASHP eBooks to their iPads.”
“Thanks to the good work from our partners at Impelsys, this new app makes it easy for members to directly access books purchased through our eBooks Store and use them to enhance their professional education,” says Wolfe.
The ASHP eBooks app features an interface that is similar to that of iBooks, complete with a bookshelf where all titles are neatly arranged by title, category, bookmarks etc.
Users can change the font size to their preference, jump within the text between chapters and to figures, tables, and references, and more.
“In just under two years since Apple introduced the original iPad, the company has sold a staggering 55 million units, with more than 15 million sold in the last three months of 2011 alone,” said Sameer Shariff, chief executive officer of Impelsys.
“This new app allows ASHP’s members to quickly obtain the content they need directly onto their iPads and it helps the organization create a model where their valuable content can be accessed on-demand from any location in the world.”