“I read the news today, oh boy . . .”
If you read that with music in your mind’s ear you know what I mean.
Anyway, there have been a bunch of earthquakes in the book world that have the potential to affect libraries in a big way. Today’s news in the WSJ is no exception:
Amazon in Talks to Launch Digital-Book Library via WSJ
Amazon Working on A Netflix for Books () via Mashable
Amazon Is Trying To Launch A Netflix Style eBook Subscription Service (AMZN) via SAI
Amazon Considering a “Netflix for Books” [Amazon]
via Gizmodo
Add to these the other news:
Barnes & Noble for sale
Borders bankrupt and almost gone
Amazon launching new tablet
24Symbols launched in US with e-book library subscriptions
Bookish launched
Pottermore launched
Kindle Singles launched and full of spam books
Google Book Settlement still up in the air
Lendle still heading up
etc.
It’ll take some real strategic thinking to thrive if libraries insist on being about books alone.
Stephen
8 Responses
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I think it is a very long time since any library insisted on being about books alone. Still need a lot of strategic thinking to do though.
Fine post!
“A crowd of people turned away,
But I just had to look,
Having read the book”
Jan:
I wish that were more true but when I see library conference programs titled “Books ARE our brand” I worry. I think we’re more about improving the quality questions, getting answers, community, learning, social glue, and more.
SA .
Jan: I should also add that the library’s positioning in user and cardholder minds has been almost completely about books (I think the initial number as 98% in the first OCLC perceptions survey and it got worse in the second one). We are failing at capturing a broader positioning and this won’t be very good for libraries future success. Some might feel that most libraries are not in fact about books alone and this is certainly true. Libraries have always been about more than books and I highlight that often on this blog as regular readers can’t miss. The battle, however, is for the hearts and minds of the public and their perceptions of libraries as voters, hosts and funders. If they believe we’re mostly about books then our funding wil decline in most scenarios. How do we get better at changing the perception to one where libraries contribute on a more multi-dimensional scale?
Stephen
Stephen:
Thank you for your answers and food for thought.
I think it is right that books are considered more the library core in some places than they should be. In Denmark the debate is very much about what our new core fields are and should be. I agree with you on community, learning, social glue and so on.
The question about how to win the battle of the hearts and minds of the public and their perception of libraries is the same in my country. I think your statistics about the perception would translate well. This is essential.
Sometimes I think that a world wide campaign about what the modern library is would be a very good idea, because we share the same issues and come up with a lot of the same answers. It might be difficult to do this, but I still like the idea.
I am working with learning at my library these days. I think the public library is one of the core players in this field because we are not a school where people have to pass a test. We can focus on how people learn best. Still surveys and statistics show that children that use the library as kids are more likely to get an education as adults and that library use improves study performance. I think that is important to tell funders and the public. It might not be enough, but it is a step on the way.
“bookish launch”? What pray tell. I can’t find anything in my search but a list of books that have been launched. It sounds though like this is a site, like pottermore (god save us).
Sorry Noisy Bob: Bookish hasn’t launched yet. I misremembered. Bookish.com is the e-book website whose backoffice is run by Baker & Taylor et al for a group of publishers including Harper Collins. It was supposed to open in the summer. Pottermore is of course for just one author, JK Rowling, but the backroom there is run by Overdrive.
SA
So how do we change our “brand” then so that people think of libraries whenever they think of something they’re passionate to learn?
Stephen, you can add this one to your list:
Authors Guild sues Universities over e-books
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/09/12/technology-broadcasting-amp-entertainment-us-google-book-battle_8674162.html