Pratsam solutions attract online readers
Published 29.03.2017
The number of Celia’s online users increased by 53 percent in 2016
In 2009 the Finnish software company Pratsam delivered the first online solution to Celia, the national center for accessible literature and publishing in Finland, streaming DAISY books online to an accessible software player installed on the end user’s computer. Since then, the online services have been upgraded regularly with new features, such as a DAISY Online interface, digital watermarking, a DAISY player web app and apps for smartphones.
The total amount of online loans at Celia increased from about 251,000 in 2015 to over 369,000 in 2016, which is a 47 percent increase in one year. This boosts the rate of online loans compared to all loans from 27 percent to 39 percent, which had been estimated to 5 percent per year and thus more than doubled. The number of online users increased by 53 percent, from 7,557 to 11,586 during the same period.
40,000 talking books available online
Celia’s book collection boasts more than 40,000 talking books, available online via download and the browser app Pratsam Reader Web. Users of Celia online services can also listen to the books with Pratsam Reader Win, Reader App and other accessible reading devices supporting DAISY Online.
- The Pratsam Reader App has answered a definite user need, and the number of app users is steadily growing; Celia has 5,000 users of the app at the moment. Pratsam's test procedures and flexible schedules have resulted in cooperation that has benefited both Celia and our users, says Minna von Zansen, Director of User Relations at Celia.
Online distribution of accessible books is an efficient alternative to traditional distribution of CDs or SD Cards via traditional post. Online delivery is faster, more controllable and costs less. Hardware players and apps supporting online delivery have been developed to enable easy end user adoption. Pratsam has proven to be a reliable partner in building successful online delivery solutions for accessible books.
Pratsam
Pratsam is one of the leading companies in the development of IT solutions for accessible books and newspapers customized for use by persons with visual impairments and other print disabilities. Founded in 2005, Pratsam has developed many products for the management of accessible digital audio publications, from production automation to the end user reading system, utilizing scalable cloud or dedicated computing environments. For playback at the end user, Pratsam offers several accessible apps for computers, tablets and mobile phones, adapted for persons with visual impairments and other print disabilities.
Contact:
Daniel Ainasoja, Sales Manager
Ph. +358 50 527 4174, daniel@pratsam.com
Jonas Storholm, CEO
Ph. +358 50 591 5375, jonas@pratsam.com