e-Publications Services
EPUB is a set of standards for creating and distributing reflow able digital content. Developed by the International Digital Publishers Forum (IDPF), the latest version, EPUB 3,76 has a function called ‘media queries’ that allows the use of style sheets to control the content layout while still allowing for reflow able text, and to ‘produce, for example, a two-page spread on a tablet held in landscape mode, a one-page two-column layout when that tablet is turned to portrait mode, and a single column format on a mobile phone, all from the same XHTML5 file.’ XHTML5 is the latest version of the HTML specification from the W3C in XML format (as opposed to straight text). This markup form will closely match what is render able by a modern web browser.
EPUB consists of three main elements: the content itself, some descriptive information about the content and its components, and a packaging structure to combine all of the content and metadata elements. The need for a standard in this space is significant because of the complexity of interoperation needed not only between the publishers and the supply chain, but also with the reading-device manufacturers. In addition, as publications become more interactive – including things like audio, video and other multi-media features – the need to rely on a common structure for distributing electronic content is increasingly critical.