Physical and electronic book reconciliation

A method of allowing access to a digital version of a publication comprising:

• receiving a publication identifier from a client device, the publication identifier being derived from a hardcopy version of a publication corresponding to a hardcopy version of a publication having a respective digital version, the publication identifier being derived by capturing an image of graphical encoding affixed to the hardcopy version of the publication;
• confirming that the publication identifier is associated with digital rights to the digital version;
• providing a challenge to the client device which is based on the content of a selected location in the hardcopy version of the publication;
• receiving a response to the challenge from the client device;
• if the response is determined to be correct, granting access to content to the digital version, comprising at least one of:
• allowing the user to read at least a portion of the digital version of the publication when the client device is communicatively connected to a digital content provider;
• and
• allowing the user to download at least a portion of the digital version of the publication, the user's rights to usage of the downloaded at least a portion of the digital version of the publication being enforced by Digital Rights Management information included with the at least the portion of the digital version.