NetGalley
{{Short description|Web site aimed towards the distribution of digital galley proofs of books}}
{{Infobox website
| name = NetGalley
| favicon =
| logo = NetGalley logo.png
| screenshot =
| caption =
| url = {{URL|http://netgalley.com/}}
| commercial =
| type = Review
| registration = Paid and free
| owner = Firebrand Technologies, Rosetta Solutions, Inc.
| author =
| launch_date = {{Start date|2008}}
| current_status = Active
| revenue =
}}
NetGalley is a website launched in 2008, aiming to distribute digital galley proofs of books, some of which have not yet been released. NetGalley was developed as an alternative to producing paper galleys and has since evolved into a key marketing and publicity platform for publishers and authors.{{cite news|url=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/terry-kate/2010/03/18/netgalley |title=Netgalley |date=March 18, 2010|author=Kate, Terry|work=BlogTalkRadio}}{{cite web|url=http://www.prbythebook.com/death-of-the-traditional-mail-out/ |title=Death of the traditional mail-out? NetGalley continues to make news|website= PR by the Book}} Publishers that offer e-galleys include Hachette, HarperCollins Publishers, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and many others in the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and Japan. The site offers electronic galleys to "professional readers" such as booksellers, educators, librarians, media professionals, and reviewers.{{Cite web |title=How It Works {{!}} NetGalley |url=https://www.netgalley.com/tour#:~:text=reviewer,%20blogger,%20librarian,%20bookseller,%20educator,%20journalist%20or%20other%20member%20of%20the%20media, |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=www.netgalley.com}}
History
The NetGalley website was created in 2008 as a joint venture between Firebrand Technologies and Rosetta Solutions. Initially launched shortly before the 2008 BookExpo America, Rosetta Solutions founded the site, and Firebrand Technologies took over in December 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/43874-netgalley-hits-pay-dirt.html |title=NetGalley Hits Paydirt|work= Publishers Weekly}} NetGalley has since widened its roster of publishers and range of reviewers, and has begun offering services to publishers in the UK, France, Germany, and Japan.{{cite web|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/ebooknewser/netgalley-expands-into-the-uk_b14983 |title=NetGalley Expands into the UK|website= Media Bistro}}
In 2012, the site began offering expedited approvals to librarians who added their American Library Association member number.{{cite news|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/libraries/article/50216-netgalley-ala-offer-librarians-benefit-program-and-more.html |title=NetGalley, ALA Offer Librarians Benefit Program and More|work= Publishers Weekly}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2012/01/ebooks/ala-partners-with-netgalley-for-member-benefit-program/ |title=ALA Partners with NetGalley for Member Benefit Program|website= Digital Shift}} NetGalley also began a partnership with the Library Journal for reviews of original ebooks in the romance genre; Library Journal stated it was "a move designed to address 'the skyrocketing popularity of ebooks in U.S. public libraries'".{{cite news |url=http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/890641-264/library_journal_and_netgalley_announce.html.csp |title=Library Journal and NetGalley Announce Partnership for Reviews of Ebook Originals |work=Library Journal |date=November 10, 2011 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110051734/http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/890641-264/library_journal_and_netgalley_announce.html.csp |archivedate=November 10, 2011 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.comicsbeat.com/2011/05/16/dark-horse-joins-netgalley/ |title=Dark Horse joins NetGalley |website=Comics Beat |date=May 16, 2011 |accessdate=September 26, 2011 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926185517/http://www.comicsbeat.com/2011/05/16/dark-horse-joins-netgalley/ |archivedate=September 26, 2011 }}
In October 2012, the NetGalley website relaunched,{{cite web |date=October 2012 |title=Relaunch Press Release |url=http://concierge.s3.amazonaws.com/Press%20Releases/NetGalleyrelaunch10_9_12.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502035959/http://concierge.s3.amazonaws.com/Press%20Releases/NetGalleyrelaunch10_9_12.pdf |archive-date=2014-05-02 |website=Amazon}} addressing numerous performance and scaling issues related to an old architecture, improving existing features, and introducing new ones.
In December 2020, NetGalley sent out an email to its users explaining that they experienced a data breach and the personal information of many users had been exposed. This included usernames, passwords, first and last names and addresses specified in their NetGalley profiles.{{Cite news|title=NetGalley data breach: Publishing industry website forces password reset following 'security incident'|url= https://portswigger.net/daily-swig/netgalley-data-breach-publishing-industry-website-forces-password-reset-following-security-incident |last1=Bannister |first1=Adam |date=December 24, 2020|access-date=December 26, 2020}}
Features
The site layout allows users to search the books available for review by publisher, genre, or upload date on NetGalley. Users request the books they want, while a representative for the publisher decides to approve or decline the request.{{cite web|url=http://www.publishingtrends.com/2011/07/to-e-galley-or-p-galley-that-is-the-question/|title= To E-galley or P-galley: That Is the Question|website= Publishing Trends}} If approved, the user usually chooses among EPUB, PDF, MOBI, or audiobook formats.{{cite news|url=http://bookcritics.org/blog/archive/guest_post_by_laurie_gold_are_you_ready_for_e-galleys/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005022657/http://bookcritics.org/blog/archive/guest_post_by_laurie_gold_are_you_ready_for_e-galleys |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 5, 2010 |author=Gold, Laurie |title= Critical Mass: Are You Ready for e-Galleys?|work=BlogCritics}}
In July 2020, NetGalley introduced audiobooks as an additional format for publishers to provide readers. It also simultaneously launched the first NetGalley mobile app - the NetGalley Shelf app (available for iOS and Android). In January 2025, NetGalley announced that it would replace Adobe's proprietary digital rights management (DRM) with Readium Licensed Content Protection (LCP).{{Cite web |last=Kozlowski |first=Michael |date=2025-02-01 |title=Netgalley Switches From Adobe Digital Editions To LCP - Good E-Reader |url=https://goodereader.com/blog/digital-publishing/netgalley-switches-from-adobe-digital-editions-to-lcp |access-date=2025-02-19 |language=en-CA}}
Reception
Reception to the site has been mixed. ALA TechSource wrote: "Whatever it lacks in aesthetics, NetGalley makes up for with simple ease of use and great content."{{cite web |title=Why NetGalley is the Best Kept e-book Secret on the Web |url=http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2010/12/why-netgalley-is-the-best-kept-e-book-secret-on-the-web.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223040151/https://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2010/12/why-netgalley-is-the-best-kept-e-book-secret-on-the-web.html |archive-date=Dec 23, 2010 |website=ALA Tech Source}} NetGalley reported that in 2011, the site had seen a 500% increase in reviews compared to previous years.{{cite web|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/netgalley-users-created-45000-reviews-last-year_b45652 |title=NetGalley Users Wrote 45,000 Reviews Last Year|website= Galleycat|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121050528/http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/netgalley-users-created-45000-reviews-last-year_b45652 |archive-date=21 January 2012 }}{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121050528/http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/netgalley-users-created-45000-reviews-last-year_b45652|date=21 January 2012}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://netgalley.com/ Official website] at netgalley.com
- [https://bookish.netgalley.com/ We Are Bookish], the NetGalley editorial blog at bookish.netgalley.com/
Category:Internet properties established in 2008
Category:American review websites