Proliferation of ITIL V3 introductions and pocketbooks
Shades of the "People's Liberation Front of Judea"! Everyone has the official pocket-book.
For a handy pocket reference you can buy
- ITIL V3 Key Element Guide Suite
, with the "swirl" logo + "ITIL" and the OGC logo and "pocketbook from the Official Publisher of ITIL" and "itSMF International" all on the cover, published by TSO
- An Introductory Overview of ITIL® V3 which has OGC's "swirl" logo and "itSMF" prominently on the front cover. Published by the "the UK chapter of the itSMF"
- ITIL Foundation Handbook
with the "swirl" logo + "ITIL" and "pocketbook from the Official Publisher of ITIL" and "itSMF International" all on the cover, published by TSO, 3 of the 5 authors also wrote the itSMFUK book
- IT Service Management Based on ITIL V3 - A Pocket Guide
, with "itSMF International" on the cover (well, it DID: itSMF no longer own the ITSM Library and the itSMF logo has disappeared from recent editions), published by Van Haren
That's what we like to see, open competition in all its glory. Pity the poor punter though, new to ITIL and trying to work it all out. Add to that the larger Official Introduction to the Itil Service Lifecycle
Made in New Zealand 
Comments
poor ITIL newbies
Well the poor ITIL newbie on a limited budget doesn't have to buy all these books - just one will do if it is good enough. However they're 'expected' to buy the complete set of the ITIL Lifecycle suite - currently selling for $483.81 acording to the amazon link on your blog. If these foundation books weren't around they really wouldn't have a choice but to spend nearly $500 ($785 at full list price!)
Perhaps you could do the poor newbie a service and publish reviews of the foundation books mentioned so they have an informed choice rather than relying on guesswork.
Chris
a backlog of book reviews
As an unpaid service provider, I have a backlog of two book reviews already: CMDB Imperative and Building an ITIL-Based Service Management Department. If OGC and TSO and itSMF all worked as one team we'd have one good official book.
It's a healthy sign - but I'm not sure what to pick
I would be worried if there were NOT many people writing books on it. I don't see a "dummy's guide" from IDG though (wait an hour).
Any topic which is more than an obscure niche has many people writing both tutorial texts and more advanced. Do an Amazon Search on "project management" or to keep it closer to ITIL, pick a single methodology - say "prince2" or "pmi".
What I don't see are hints to my particular need. I have put my hand up to teach ITSM to students in their final year of an IT degree. I'm doing this because I think that these concepts are important for our students; not because I am an expert. I'm not by any means , I'm mainly a network/sys-admin guy. But I will try to do as good a job as I can in preparing my students, and know I will get better over time.
But I really REALLY need a textbook to help my students. Yes I will be using online articles, pulling pieces in from the ITIL library, MOF, BECTA-FITS and the sceptic will be seen often, but I'd like something to tie it all together. And it needs to be accessible to people who do NOT have the context of having worked for years in IT depts.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Yep I do
Good initiatve. Dutch universities do this already for some years. If you want the students to also obtain the ITIL Foundation exam I should pickt the Van Haren Introduction. You can have the university accredited via EXIN. They have special arrangements for universities (and other public education). Drop me a line if you want to know more.
Otherwise I would have a look at Ian Clayton's ITSM BOK (do not know if I got the name of the book 100% right)
USMBOK
yes Dave, USMBOK is definitely worth considering. Big heavy book and quite technical, but generalised beyond IT. More of a comprehensive classification than introductory educational explanation though
And not forgetting....
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, also have a introductory book coming out: [http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=nav.10905 IT Service Management Foundation: A Guide for Foundation Exam Candidates]
Together with a [http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=nav.10906 Foundation Level Practice questions book] it will be the start of a series of books we're publishing in the ITSM area.
As you say open competition is good to see. We'll just have to hope that quality will win the day.
Matthew
BCS Book Publisher
many more beginners' books
...and then there is IT Service Management - An Introduction based on ISO 20000 and ITIL V3 (English version) (ITSM Library)
and Foundations of IT Service Management: The Unofficial ITIL v3 Foundations Course in a Book
and Foundations of IT Service Management Based on ITIL V3 
and The ITIL V3 Service Management Awareness Pocket Guide - The ITIL V3 Pocket Toolbook
and Introduction To Real Itsm
(Oops! how did that get in there?) But like the BCS books, they don't have the official swirls and stuff plastered all over them.
Of course one more book does have all the logos on the cover: Passing Your ITIL Foundation Exam
Poor poor ITIL newbie on a limited budget....