ITIL V3 Publications – Which format should I Buy?

The ITIL V3 Publications from the OGC is “Recommended reading” or some may even consider "Must-have" for anyone who is pursuing ITIL certification at the Intermediate or Expert level or any organisations implementing IT Service Management.

The 5 core books in the ITIL V3 Publications cover the ITIL Service Lifecycle, namely, Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and Continual Service Improvement. In addition, there is The Official Introduction to the ITIL Service Lifecycle book that explains the basic concept of IT service Management and the place of ITIL, introducing the new lifecycle model, which puts into context all the familiar ITIL processes from the earlier ITIL V2 books.

The books can be purchased individually or as an entire set. There are savings if the entire set is purchased at one go compared to buying all the books individually. So, my recommendations is to buy the entire set since most individuals and organisations will need all the books.

Once you have decided to buy, you will need to decide on the format. The new ITIL V3 library is available in these formats:

• Hardcopy book with softcovers
• Downloadable PDF (Adobe Digital Editions)
• Online subscription (single user)
• Online subscription (multiple user) - applicable only to the Complete Publication Suite and/or the Official Introduction.
• eBook (MobiPocket eBook) version.

Hardcopy book format

This format is for individuals who prefer the traditional way to read or browse through the books. For an organisation, this would be a good format to buy if you have a physical library to store the books and enables readers easy access to the books.

Downloadable PDF format

The softcopy PDF versions of these books come with Digital Rights Management technology which is a form of protection against illegal copying. The PDF files can only be downloaded and stored on one computer. They can only be printed once and cannot be copied, cut or pasted.

To read a digital edition, you need the free Adobe Reader software, version 6.0 or higher. You will also need an Internet connection to authorize your device for digital rights management and to download the digital edition. Once you have downloaded the digital edition, you can disconnect from the network and read the digital edition offline.

The advantages of reading digital editions instead of paper books are:

• Digital editions are immediately available. You can download and read a digital edition right away, rather than waiting for the book to come in the mail. You also save on shipping costs.
• You can use Adobe Reader mark up features to highlight text, search, and make notes in digital editions. For me, the keyword search function is the most useful.
• You can download a digital edition onto a laptop for easy portability. This is ideal for consultants, trainers or staffs who are mobile and needs easy access to the information without having to lug the hardcopy books around.

However, the OGC PDFs are not networkable. So, sharing of a single copy within the organisation will not be possible.

Online subscriptions (single user access)

In this format, the ITIL V3 information is available online from the OGC website via the web browser. Online subscriptions are annual, and are designed for individual identified users. You can purchase an annual licence online for one or more users, whose access to the OGC material will be controlled by a single user name and password.

An Online Subscription gives you access to the latest updated versions of the publications. This version would be good if the Publications are updated frequently. Other advantages are features such as:

• Dynamic content
• Easy navigation
• Bookmarking
• History
• Cross-linking between chapters
• Pop-up glossary of terms

This format is slightly cheaper compared to the other formats. There is also no shipping cost. There is no need to install any readers on your PC, laptop or PDA. But you need to be connected to the internet via web browser to access the information. It allows sharing within the organisation but only one concurrent access at any one time. Access will be prevented until the current user logs out, thereby allowing another to log on.

Online Subscriptions (Multi-user access)

This format is recommended if multiple, concurrent user access to the library. In this format, users logs on to the OGC website for central access to the Complete ITIL Publication Suite. Any number of users can be provided with access details; once the purchased number of access licences is simultaneously active on the OGC site, further access will be prevented until one user logs out, thereby allowing another to log on. As all users of ITIL material within an organisation do not necessarily need to access it simultaneously, multi-user licences can be a very cost-effective option for large organisations.

As a general guide, one concurrent user licence will support 10 core users of the material or 15 whose usage are less frequent, temporary or spread geographically.

eBook (MobiPocket eBook) version

An eBook is a digital edition of a book that is designed to be read on an eBook reader. An eBook is not the same thing as a downloadable pdf. There are a number of eBook readers, and eBooks are published to be read in one or all of the standard eBook readers. The OGC publication requires the pre-installation of a free MobiPocket eBook reader on your PC or PDA. Full instructions on how to access OGC eBooks and install a MobiPocket eBook reader are available from the online store.

Hopefully, this post would have helped you in deciding on which format(s) is suitable for you or your organisation. Some organisations may choose to buy two or more formats to increase the accessibility of the ITIL Publications to as many staff as possible, for example, a set of hardcopy books in the library or online subscriptions for the general IT staff, in addition to individual PDF formats for their key staff that is driving the IT Service Management project.

All the above formats are available for order online here.