Events: IDPF Voting: Board Nomination

Dear fellow IDPF Members,

I am submitting my nomination for re-election to the IDPF Board of Directors.  I am very excited and energized by recent events that IDPF have been a key part of.  These include our recent standards work with .EPUB, increased awareness of the market opportunities eBooks and digital reading are poised to enjoy, and numerous initiatives in the education and accessibility communities.

Should I be re-elected to serve our membership, I am committed to expanding the value of the IDPF to all of our stakeholders.  These include the technology companies and publishers that are investing in new business models for digital reading, and equally important, those constituents where eBooks and digital publishing can provide dramatic improvement in their quality of life.

 Over the past four years I have been personally involved with bringing eBooks and digital book content to millions of new readers through thousands of public libraries and schools.  I am working directly with numerous state library and school agencies providing digital book content to those with visual, print, and learning impairments.  I firmly believe that the work of the IDPF can make a difference for those who face challenges from the printed book.  IDPF standards work, our industry educational activities, and the energies of our membership can build both profitable businesses, and make valuable contributions to the advancement of learning and reading for all.

 A few of the key IDPF accomplishments I have led or contributed to include:

• Planned and chaired successful IDPF educational programs including the eBooks in Education Conference, the eBooks in the Public Library Conference, the Tablet PC Publishing Conference and more recently Digital Book 2007.  Each event resulted in profitable sponsor and exhibitor participation and was very positive event for eBooks in the face of failing digital book conferences and industry challenges.  I am taking a similar leadership role for planning the IDPF Spring 2008 Conference.
• I recruited and have work closely to help with the success of our current Executive Director. 
• I have served IDPF as President and provided support with its organizational and legal affairs.
• I chaired the IDPF Intellectual Property Committee which completed the IDPF IP policy which respects the interests of property right holders and seeks a balanced policy to support open source systems to grow our industry.
• I am an original member of the OeBF Publication Structure 1.0 Authoring Committee and have provided continual support to the OeBF/IDPF since its formation.

I am proud of the long standing partnerships I have established with US and foreign publishing houses, standards bodies, and technology companies that are all part of our IDPF community.  I have had the pleasure of representing the IDPF before congressional committees, participated with Department of Education eBook initiatives, and counseled many new businesses seeking to develop successful digital book campaigns while avoiding the pitfalls of the eBook pioneers.

 For members who I have not yet enjoyed the pleasure of working with, I welcome the chance to discuss your interests in the digital book and digital publishing industry and how the IDPF can help you accomplish your goals.

Steve Potash
CEO
OverDrive, Inc.