Baker & Taylor and Simplicissimus Book Farm to Distribute Rich Digital Media Content Via Blio

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker & Taylor, the world's largest distributor of physical and digital books, and Simplicissimus Book Farm, a top Italian distributor of ebooks, are proud to announce they are teaming up in the global distribution of Italian language ebooks through the revolutionary, cutting-edge Blio ereading application.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090529/CL24290LOGO)

Baker & Taylor distributes ebooks that come to life via Blio, the innovative, interactive, full-color application created and developed by K-NFB Reading Technology. Together, Baker & Taylor and Simplicissimus Book Farm will now offer Italian publishers a distribution solution without borders.

"We are very pleased to work with Simplicissimus Book Farm, a top-notch digital asset manager and distributor, to increase the supply of ebooks to international markets," said Linda Gagnon, Senior Vice President of Baker & Taylor's Digital Media Group. "Our partnership enables Simplicissimus Book Farm to gain access to new outlets for Italian publishers."

While several digital ereading environments are suited to novels and other non-illustrated works, Blio can handle these titles as well as the rich media, full-color content contained in highly illustrated, highly graphical titles, without losing the original layout.

"We are very proud to enable Italian publishers to enter the wonderful Blio ereading platform," said Antonio Tombolini, CEO of Simplicissimus Book Farm. "Blio is an amazing way to read ebooks, effective with trade books, and even more effective with educational and entertaining books, including textbooks that we are sure will be the next step forward in the fascinating transition of the publishing industry to the digital era."

Through its strategic relationship with K-NFB Reading Technology, Baker & Taylor is responsible for distributing digital media content via Blio and its vast worldwide distribution network. Children's titles, lifestyle titles such as cookbooks and travel books – and other rich, beautiful digital content – can be found in the Blio store (www.blio.com). Blio is being preloaded on millions of consumers' favorite devices in 2011, including tablets, laptops, desktops and phones from today's top device manufacturers and mobile carriers. Blio will be available across multiple platforms and languages.

About Baker & Taylor

Baker & Taylor Inc. (www.baker-taylor.com) is the world's largest distributor of books, digital content and entertainment products. The company leverages its unsurpassed worldwide distribution network to deliver rich content in multiple formats, anytime and anywhere. Baker & Taylor offers cutting-edge digital media services and innovative technology platforms to thousands of publishers, libraries and retailers worldwide.  Baker & Taylor also offers industry-leading customized library services and retail merchandising solutions. Baker & Taylor is proud to power Blio (blioreader.com), the world's most flexible, engaging and revolutionary e-reading application. Charlotte, N.C.-based Baker & Taylor is majority owned by Castle Harlan Partners IV, L.P., an institutional private equity fund managed by Castle Harlan, Inc., a leading private equity investment firm.

Baker & Taylor and the Baker & Taylor logo are trademarks of Baker & Taylor Inc. Blio is a trademark of K-NFB Reading Technology, Inc. Other company and product names mentioned for identification purposes may be trademarks of their respective owners.

About Simplicissimus Book Farm

Simplicissimus Book Farm SRL (www.simplicissimus.it) is active in the Italian market and expanding operations to emerging European markets. Simplicissimus Book Farm services to the publishing and retail industries range from the ereaders distribution (ASUS, Bookeen and other brands) to conversion and production services for ebook and digital newspaper and magazines in all needed formats: EPUB, PDF, iOS and Android apps, etc.

STEALTH, its distribution platform, is aggregating 60% (and growing) of the Italian publishers active in the trade ebooks market, as well as 2 out of 4 major national newspapers. Simplicissimus Book Farm is the organizer, together with Rimini Fiera, of Ebook Lab Italia (www.ebooklabitalia.com) the digital publishing conference-exhibition of reference for the Italian market.

For more: http://www.simplicissimus.it/.

SOURCE Baker & Taylor