eBooks, New Technologies and Libraries (Press Roundup)
The first part of July, 2010 has been a good time for ebooks, libraries, and other new technologies in the press. Here are five examples.
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Yesterday, we linked to an article from the New York Daily News with stories about ebooks at the NYPL and Brooklyn Public Library. The also mention OverDrive.
But that's not all.
Here's a Roundup of Several Other Stories (All from July):
All but the final item are about public libraries. The final entry is about an academic library.
Mentions of several technologies (including ebooks) are included in the article plus a number of statistics including:
From the Article:
...There are still traditional readers but, even for them, the hardback library books may evolve in the near future. Coming soon: a docking station for a free download of popular titles. Under one plan under discussion in Baltimore, library patrons would have three weeks to read it on a Kindle or iPad, then the text would disappear. They could also access a musical recording for a similar period of time.
"The day is coming when people will want to be able to download 10 novels for their summer reading or for a trip to Italy," said Hayden. "All the details aren't worked out yet, but it's coming. The Seattle public library system is already doing it."
The article also includes the following quote and statistic from Carla Hayden, CEO of the Enoch Pratt (Baltimore) Public Library
"In a city like Baltimore, where 30 percent of the population has no home computer access, we have found a new role."
--Enoch Pratt CEO Carla D. Hayden.
It's a fairly new service with a small collection that is shared by Bibliomation,'' Bethel Library director Lynn Rosato said Monday. "People download the e-book and the audio books and they have an automatic checkout for 21 days, and then it disappears. There are no overdue fines or notices."
The library already has downloadable audio books from its subscription with Overdrive, and the service started offering e-books about six months ago. Now it adds about 20 e-books a month, a mix of books for children, adult fiction and nonfiction.
"Since we added e-books, they have been circulating," she said. "The collection is still small, but it is growing every month."
Of the 60 electronic checkouts in May, nine were e-books, and June had a higher number than that, she said. "It's an alternative format to offer patrons."
[Clip]
Danbury and New Milford public libraries want to add e-books, but they don't have the budget to pay the subscription fee, which varies depending on the size of the library.
"We are very seriously looking into it. It's an additional cost we don't have budgeted this year,'' New Milford public services librarian Sally Tornow said.
The library does provide the e-books the state library system circulates, but they are mainly nonfiction works to supplement kindergarten to 12th grade coursework and business books.
Video conferencing is just one way local libraries are embracing new technology.
They have e-readers and use video games in their children's programming. Hundreds of thousands of people visit them to use their computers. Many of them circulate movies more than books.
Libraries are changing. They are using new technology and old technology in new ways. They will always be associated with books, but now loaning them is just one facet of what they do.
Underlying these changes are two questions: What do people want from libraries and how should libraries remain relevant?
Euclid Public Library is changing its website's interface. The new one will offer more Google-like features, Director Donna Perdzock said.
[Snip]
The Mentor library has two iPads and six Nooks, the e-reader from Barnes & Noble. Visitors can borrow the Nooks, but not the iPads.
Both have been a hit with patrons, Hawkins said.
"We've had a tremendous reaction to the Nooks. We have multiple holds on all of them," she said. "We're working with Barnes & Noble. They're telling people who come to look at them that Mentor Public Library has Nooks they can borrow and try out before they buy."
Starting July 19, the state's largest library system will make 700 books available as eBooks for downloading to computers, laptops and eReaders. Patrons will be able to download as many as 15 items at once.
[Snip]
"It's really exciting," said Gail Mueller Schultz, collections and technical services manager for the Hennepin system. "It will be very interesting to see where it will end up."
Audra Caplan, national president of the Public Library Association, said, "The e-format just gives us the ability to address the needs of our customers in a different way."
Washington County [MN], which does not offer eBooks yet, hopes to follow Hennepin's lead and soon integrate eBooks into its system after sorting out legalities with publishers.
"There are some legalities to work through, so we are glad that Hennepin is going to test that for us," said Joseph Manion, public services division manager of Washington County Libraries.
With the acquisition of a new e-book database, 53 percent of the library’s collection will consist of online material. Students are able to download e-books to their computers, smartphones, and iPads.
“To me, this is the way all universities will need to go,” said Brent Short, director of library services.
Mr. Short says the biggest benefit of e-books is that they are accessible anywhere and anytime. Expanding online material is particularly important at Saint Leo, where the majority of the student body is based off the campus, he said.
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