The ebook tipping point

There have been several major events happening in the ebook realm that seem to be building to a convergence that will have a major impact on the future of both the publishing world and libraries.  Let's look at the players.

THE USER:

Pew Internet released a report on April 4 on the rise of rise of e-reading. There are four points that I think are of particular interest to libraries.

1.  The first comes as no surprise.  The number of people reading e-books has increased.  To measure the impact of holiday gift giving, Pew performed their survey in mid-December 2011 and again in February 2012.  In mid-December, the number of people who have read an ebook in the last year was 17%. In February that number increased to 21%. 
2. E-books readers tend to read more books.  They read an average of 24 books over the last 12 months compared to 15 books for print readers.
3. Both publishers and libraries need to really take note of the following: ebook readers are frustrated by the lack of available content or the difficulty of getting content.  One of the things that appeal to them about e-books is the ease of access.  Making access difficult, or impossible in some cases, will not make for happy customers.
4. Most interestingly, ebooks readers are more likely to buy content than to borrow.  61% e-book readers would rather buy as opposed to 54% of print readers who would rather buy than borrow.  Libraries, are you listening?

PUBLISHERS:

The Big Six publishers seem to be struggling with the concept of ebooks.  They are trying to force the print paradigm upon digital content rather than viewing it as a different beast.  They give the impression of a gaggle of Chicken Littles clucking that the sky is falling. 

Harper Collins is probably the most famous for instituting the 26 check-out limit on library ebooks.  They are attempting to simulate the wearing and replacement of physical book in libraries.

Penguin is now they are taking their dispute with Amazon out on libraries and making it more difficult for library users to borrow Kindle titles through Overdrive.  Kindles (with the exception of Kindle Fire) must be connected to the computer and the library title sideloaded.  This can be a major hassle to people accustomed to do everything wirelessly.   Refer to number 3 above.  This is after pulling their books from Overdrive and than adding them back.

Random House has increased their ebooks prices to libraries by 300%.  Apparently they have not been reading the news stories about shrinking library budgets.

Simon & Schuster and Macmillan don't even allow libraries to lend their ebooks.  It is a shame as they are missing a ton of free publicity.  Who better to promote a book than a true bibliophile? 

I would like to see some solid studies that show the effect of library lending on the purchase of books.  I know that many library users will discover a new author through the library or purchase titles they loved but originally read at the library.  However, I am not aware of any official study that supports this assumption.  Does anyone know?


AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION:
Over the last few months, the American Library Association has begun discussions with publishers.  Among the many goals of ALA were the desire to educate publishers regarding library use of ebooks (no, not everyone with access to the internet is allowed to check out ebooks) and to find a mutually agreeable business model that was flexible for the many different types of libraries and affordable.  ALA has also raised issues such as user privacy and digital preservation though not information has been given regarding those discussions.
I recently had the opportunity to ask Molly Rapheal, the president of ALA, some questions regarding this topic.  One of my main concerns was the publishers talk of creating 'friction'.  They want to simulate the print book check out process by forcing the users to physically be present in the library to check-in and check-out ebooks.  The publishers are hoping that readers will be more likely to buy the book rather than go through the trouble of borrowing it.  umm..well...of course, but again refer to #3.  Molly assured us that ALA is trying to persuade publishers that this was not the best course of action.


AMAZON

Amazon has been a very active player in the ebook field.  It could be argued that the release of Kindle is responsible for the surge in popularity of ebooks.  One would think that this would excite publishers, but the relationship between Amazon and publishers has been anything but rosy.  This is due in main to Amazon trying to sell ebooks at the low price of $9.99.  To say the publishers balked at this price would be to understate the situation.  Publishers were concerned that they would not be able to sell print books at their full price.  (More on this topic in a moment.) 

Amazon also became competition.  They began allowing and even encourage authors to self-publish through their site.  With the advent of ebooks, self-publishing was already starting to grow. With Amazon offering services to facilitate the process, it has become even a more appealing option to many authors who either can't find a publisher to pick them up or are disgruntled with publishers treatment.


OVERDRIVE

With the surgence in the popularity of the Kindle and other ebook readers, public libraries have jumped on the bandwagon. Unfortunately, there is only one main wagon at this point - Overdrive. Overdrive has not been completely successful with their relations with publishers. Many publishers were upset when Overdrive began to offer Kindle versions of their books. The publishers felt it violated terms of their contracts because the library user had to leave the safety of the Overdrive firewall and travel to the Amazon site to complete the library check-out process. Many libraries also had concerns though their concerns focused on the privacy issues of the library user.


APPLE

Into this fray steps Apple.  iPad became competitors to the Kindle as some customers wanted a device that does more than just read a book.  Who wants to carry multiple devices when you could have one that does it all.  This led to Apple adding ebooks to their line-up of offering with iBook.  Apple then approached the publishers with the offer of agency pricing or letting the publisher set the prices of ebooks.  There were two caveats.  Apple wanted a 30% cut, and they also required a signed agreement stating that the publishers could not sell to another vendor at a lower price.   This raised the prices of ebooks to around $12.99, and it also caught the attention of...

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

On April 11, the Department of Justice (DOJ)  brought a lawsuit again Apple and five of the big publishers for price fixing.  The DOJ has already settle with three of the publishers, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette.  The three publishers must now allow other vendors such as Barnes and Noble and Amazon to set their own prices.  Apple along with Pearson and Macmillon have decided to take the suit to court.   Initially, the lawsuit should create lower prices for ebooks, however, it has not affected Apple's stock prices.  Ebooks are a very small piece of the Apple pie, and investors still feeling fairly confident in Apple's ability to weather the storm.   I am very interested in the outcome of the suit and what the resulting repercussions will be.

~~~~~

With the convergence of these different events,the ebook arena seems to be reaching a tipping point.  The two industries that could be affected the most are the publishers and the libraries.  Publishers should cue into recent history and learn a lesson from Borders.  Borders was late to join the ebook game and never seemed really completely embrace it. They are now out of business.  Apple and Amazon are increasing the competition that publishers face making the possibility of them collapsing even greater.  While the publishers may not be in immediate danger of collapsing, it is a possibility with which we should contend. The publishers will either redefine their business model regarding ebooks, or their future outlook is bleak.

Libraries will also be impacted by a tipping point. If publishers succeed creating a new business model, then libraries must prove to publishers that libraries are indeed an integral part of publishers' success.  (Again, formal studies would be of benefit.) If the publishers collapse, or even if they succeed, it may be time for the libraries to reexamine their own paradigm.  Traditionally libraries have purchased titles from a vendor or direct from a publisher based in large part upon reviews or demand for subject matter or titles.  With ebooks, this has morphed into a leasing model where libraries purchase the rights to access the content, but they do not own it and cannot resell it.  Some libraries are now exploring hosting content themselves and buying direct from authors or even exploring the creation of content.  We will determine our own future.  Are we ready?

I cannot predict what the future of ebooks will look like, but I do predict that the next few years will be as exciting as the last few.  What are your thoughts regarding recent events?

Dream Library or Avoiding Library Obsolesence Part II

This is the second post in a three part series that imagines what public libraries would be if they were created fresh today and the focus was on the user.  The idea for this came from an article in American Libraries titled Avoiding the Path to Obsolescence by Steven Smith and Carmelita Pickett.  The article examines the failures of Blockbuster and the success of Netflix (before the glaring snag of trying to split the disc and streaming business) and what libraries can learn from them.  Smith and Pickett attributed a part of Netflix's success to being able to start fresh without legacy issues. 

What if we could do that with public libraries?  What would they look like if we did not have legacy issues and if we focused on the user?    The user's wants/needs can be divided into three broad categories: physical needs, access to resources, access to people/staff.  The first post focused on physical needs.  This post will explore access to resources.

When I first started thinking about this post, I started thinking about all the shining new gadget coming out, and how we could use them in a library.  We are suppose to receive iPads at our library to use for collection management, and I feel like a kid who has to wait until Christmas to open a coveted present.  I will admit that I lust after shiney new toys.  I am repeating a quote from Smith and Pickett.  I need the reminder even if no one else does.

"But guessing correctly [what next device people will be using to access information], while important, is not really the key.  What matters is responding to customer wants and needs in a timely and efficient manner, even at the expense of letting go of past practices and tools no matter how cherished or successful.  A baggage-free focus on customer is what gave Netflix its original competitive advantage."

So if we stop looking at devices for a bit, what do users want?  In a very broad generalization, they want access to information.  In this case information is also very broadly defined.  It can be a price guide for baseball cards, a journal article for homework, a book/article on how to fix their car, a mystery novel, the latest James Patterson, access to Facebook, and on and on. 

Part of the hot debate today in the library world (other than to be or not to be) is print or electronic?  At this point in time, users want both.  There are users who show a marked preference for one or the other, and there are users that do not care.  They just want the information.  Despite the format, it must be findable.

If we learn from Netflix's latest gaffe, people want one-stop shopping. Two separate services for two different formats does not work for most people.  For the library's resources (including the print catalog), I visualize this as a marriage of Amazon and Google.  The search function would be worded in everyday language and it would feature prominently on the webpage or app.  It would allow for one-stop shopping for print items, ebooks, audio books, journal articles, etc.  Again, think Amazon.  Amazon's search box defaults to searching everything, but the user has the option (easily found) to limit by format.  And gosh, wouldn't it be nice if some webpages, Youtube videos, and blogs were shown in the search?

This is not all that we can learn from Amazon and Google. The library search algorithm would need to be very generous.  One would not have to know the exact name or spelling to find the item.  (Did you mean...?)  One advantage our super library search engine would have is the option to use controlled vocabulary.  Controlled vocabulary can be a very powerful tool in the right hands.  In addition, we can learn that users like personalization.  The library site could also make recommendations based upon current searches or even checkouts.  It could also give the ability to tie it to social networking such as tweeting or Facebooking what you are reading.  Now, this does bring in privacy issues, but it is something to think about.  All of this, of course, would be friendly for mobile devices.  Granted some of this is available already in some library websites, and there are federated search engines, but we are just not quite where we need to be yet.

Let's move from the virtual to the arrangement of print items.  Since we are creating the concept of libraries from scratch, Dewey Decimal System does not exist.  We can now put all computer books together without having to worry about whether it is software or hardware.  We can create an organizational system that makes sense to not just the librarians but to our users also.  I cannot claim credit for this radical idea.  There are libraries already employing it.  Despite saying this, I still believe in a book being located in a very exact place, so that it can easily be found.  I find it very frustrating to go to a book store to look for a specific non-fiction title and  not even the staff member know exactly where it is on the shelf.  I envision the system to be very intuitive and for browsing customers to not need the catalog. 

The last category ties together access to information and access to people.  That is programming. 
What I am saying here is nothing new, and it is nothing radical.  Let's use strategic planning with our programs.  Pick three areas to focus on throughout a year.  In these current economic times it could be finance, education, and employment.  For the finance track, programs on couponing, retirement, veterans' benefits, etc could be offered.  For education programs on basic computer skills, literacy, and how to find scholarships.  Our children's librarian is currently doing a Mad Scientist program for kids in our area.  It is so popular that she is having to offer the same class three times a month.  Her goal was to increase interest in science for kids that may not have other opportunities.  Lastly, for employment we could offer programs on resume writing, job searching, and again, computer classes so that people can build marketable skills.  Other program ideas to support this track would be seminars on small businesses.  The Pioneer Library System in Oklahoma actually has a dedicated position to work with small businesses.  How cool is that?
Most of the ideas listed above are not that radical or that new.  It is just being able to implement together without having to work with legacy systems.  Since we are not starting from scratch, we must decide what is important to the future of the libraries, and then figure out how we can get there.  Do not be afraid to think big.  "Don't be afraid to shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you will land among the stars." ~ Les Brown.    It is an exciting time to be a librarian.

Dream Library or Advoiding Library Obsolesence Part I

I recently read an article in American Libraries titled Avoiding the Path to Obsolescence by Steven Smith and Carmelita Pickett.  It was a thought provoking article that seeks to learn lessons from the failure of Blockbuster and the success of Netflix. (The article was apparently written before the major faux pas committed by Netflix when they tried to separate their DVD and streaming business and then raised their prices.)  Several of the comments listed after the article refute the usefulness of such a comparison stating that libraries are not business.  It is true that a library is not a business, but that does not negate the fact that we need to monitor the industry, and that we can learn from their successes and failures.  After all, an industry does not succeed unless it has something that a customer wants.

What struck me most about the article was that a key component they attributed to Netflix's success was that they were starting fresh without legacy issues.

"Netflix was not burdened by the need to support and retain a lot of practices, services, and structures that had once worked well.  It had the freedom to focus exclusively on the needs and wants of the consumers."

The next quote however had me hopping up and yelling "Yes, yes, yes!"

"But guessing correctly [what next device people will be using to access information], while important, is not really the key.  What matters is responding to customer wants and needs in a timely and efficient manner, even at the expense of letting go of past practices and tools no matter how cherished or successful.  A baggage-free focus on customer is what gave Netflix its original competitive advantage."

I got very excited.  If we were to invent the concept of the public library today and focus on the user's wants/needs without all of our legacy issues, what would we create?

[Caveat: The following is based on my observations and experiences and is highly idealized.  It is designed to start the thought process and not to be an end product. It does not reflect scientific research (though I may have to start a project). Since this is a dream library, cost is not considered. I am also not addressing issues such as preservation.]

I believe that we can categorize what users wants/needs are in three categories: physical needs, access to resources, access to people/staff.  I am posting this in three parts.  This post will address physical needs.

Physical Needs

Much like the trend in homes, people want the libraries to have zones based on function.  I have identified several possible zones.

Child's Zone:  The children (and their parents) want a play area.  They need a child friendly area with child-sized furniture and a nearby bathroom.  Don't forget the bathroom.  Cozy spots which can be easily cleaned are also a must for children's area.  For safety of the children this can be achieved with clever arrangement of low furniture rather than isolated areas.  Areas to explore their imaginations and create are also important.  The section should have a warm and welcoming feeling. It should also come equipped with children's computers with appropriate games, and as an added bonus, laptops for parents to check out and use in the area.  No more unattended children while the parent is on the computer!  Joyous day!

Teen Zone: Teens want a place to hangout and socialize.  We are constantly at odds with a lot of teens that come in because they are being...well teens.  We are exploring options to address the issue by better utlizing our space rather than constantly argue with teens.  They also want access to computers for homework - ok, only sometimes - they want to access computers for social networking including Youtube and Facebook.  When they do work on homework, they want group spaces as many project being assigned are group projects that often require computer access.

Adult Zone:  I was of mixed mind whether to include a separate adult zone.  Many of adult needs are met with zones listed below, but it seems to beg mentioning.  Adults want what is commonly called the book store experience.  Items should be merchandised, browsable, and attractive.  Grouping of chairs and end tables will facilitate browsing and quiet reading.

Computer Zone:  The computer zone should offer a somewhat quiet area for individuals to work. (Group computer space will be addressed below.)  Users want their computers to perform a variety of functions, and they want flexibility.  They want to be able to download that program to print out a coupon or edit a video. They want a variety of browsers available (not all sites/programs are optimized for all browsers).  Disabling functions for security frustrates the user and give them a sour experience. Access to equipment such as scanners and faxes (or combo devices such as digital senders) is expected.

Quiet Zone: Traditionalist don't despair!  People still want quiet areas in the library.  It should be stocked with small tables (nobody wants to share tables with someone they do not know) and comfortable table chairs and armchairs.  There should be plenty of plug-ins for laptops and good lighting - preferably table lamps.  (Oh to have an unlimited budget!)

Group Zone: People want places to meet as small groups.  This is distinctive from meeting rooms.  They may meet to work on a group project for homework (adults and teens), a small committee meetings, an interview for job or for a service, tutoring (unpaid of course), and a variety of other reasons.  They may/may not need access to computers.  Whether computers are in the all group space or just a few, they should have a larger sized monitor for easier viewing with a large desk or table to spread work.

Meetings/Programs Zone:  The meetings/program zone needs to have flexible set-up that can easily be rearranged to accommodate different programs and needs of large groups. The space also needs to be able to work with their technology such as providing a projector that will work with laptops, screen, and a decent sound system.  It should also be neat, clean, and inviting.  Too many meeting spaces are stained and institutional.

Customer Service Points:  This will mostly be addressed in the post addressing access to people.  Let me state here that customers want to be able to find someone easily and not have to worry about different desks having different functions.  They do not like to be redirected.  No one wants to stand in line twice or feel embarrased because they went to wrong place.


In reality, libraries have a limited budget.  While we cannot afford to scrap everything and start over, we do benefit from imagining if we could.  What we can do is prioritize what we need to move towards our dream library.  Some of the above can be achieved by rearranging our currents spaces, changing how we view customer service, and adopting some of the new technology as we normally replace our outdated systems.  Also, paint is the cheapest way to freshen a space, deligate areas, and decorate.  Walls in public spaces to do NOT have to a shade of white or some other neutral color.  In the grand scheme of things, paint is cheap.

What are your thoughts/wishes regarding space utilization for your dream library?  Do you have different ideas?

cpd23 Week 3 -Personal Brand

I am participating in the "23 Things for Professional Development" and we are on week three.  The assignment for week 3 is to google yourself and then reflect upon your personal brand.  I dutifully googled myself, and imagine my shock when I did not show up in the first page results!  I actually use to show up in the first page.  Really! My name was on the second page, but it was from a libguide that I composed when I worked at the university.  When I googled my name with the addition of librarian, well then, I was on the first page a few times.  Much better.  My LinkedIn account and twitter account were listed among the results. 

I even did the optional part of the assignment which was to ask other people what my blog said about my personal brand.  One colleague declined to comment (he suddenly became busy with other things) and the other said she thought it was very professional.

What does our personal brand say about us?  I try to maintain a professional mien as I have been given negative feedback for diving into what one colleague called bleeding edge technology (Second Life?  Who needs a Second Life?  I have a first life!), and I am leery of additional bleeding.  Do I come across as too dry?  I certainly have no desire to add to the stereotype of a boring librarian.  What I do know is that I am tired of sitting in meetings talking about technology with librarians who are disdainful of said technology.  You should not be proud to admit that you do not know how to send a text.

But back to the topic on hand, am I too reserved with my comments because I am afraid of professional repurcussions?  I would like to say no as I have always been a rebel at heart, but as I reflect back I do refrain from much that I would like to say.  It has given me something to think about.  To indulge in a few cliches, "There is no reward with no risk" but there is no sense in "cutting off my nose to spite my face."

New Player on the Ebook Field

Library Journal writes that Library Ideas announced at ALA Annual 2011 that it is in entering the e-book field with Freading which is inspired by their product Freegal.  It will be based on a pay-per-use service.  This is, of course, nothing new.  It has been used by journal publishers for many years now, and yes, even by e-book vendors.  The difference is that these vendors and publishers tend to be used more in the academic libraries. 

I see the same pros and cons for the pay-per-use e-book model as the pay-per-view e-journal model.

PROS
1. It is patron driven acquisitions, and the library does not have to 'guess' what the patron wants.
2. The library is able to offer a larger catalog of titles including more esoteric titles that might not normally be available to users due to cost limitations.
3. It is a seamless transaction to the user.
4. In case of the e-books (this is a moot point with e-journals) the user does not have to wait for a title to be 'checked-in.'

CONS
1. If it is a popular title, the pay-per-use cost can exceed the actual purchase price of the title.  This would not be a cost effective method for libraries to obtain material from major fiction publishers.
2. This is a leasing model - a very short term lease.  Because of that there is no option of perpetual access.  After reading through an Overdrive contract, it does not appear that they offer perpetual access either though the titles are purchased.  There are e-books vendors such as ebrary that do offer it.  Perpetual access is continued access to a purchased title even after the subscription has expired.  This is a frequent sticking point on negotiations for e-journal subscriptions.

What would be a good model is pay-per-use with the option to purchase is the pay-per-use cost exceeds the purchase price with an option for perpetual access and ILL.  That would be ideal for libraries.  For publishers...maybe?  I am sure that I am missing both pros and cons.  Do you have any additions?

Thing 1 cpd23

23 Things for Professional Development or cdp23 is a free program for the professional development of librarians.  Each week will feature one or two new 'Things' to explore.  The first week includes creating a blog post and exploring why you are participating in the program.

I am participating in the program as I am always searching for professional development opportunities.  As many librarians I am a life-long learner, and I am excited by this opportunity.  More important however is the chance to recharge myself.  The library world is changing.  I find that very exciting to be part of that.  Not all librarians feel that way.  It can be frustrating to constantly run into brick walls.  Not all change is good, nor should we change for the sake of changing, but we must keep moving forward.  We need to get past the point where people ask if there are still librarians.  Networking with others and learning new 'Things' is how I remember that these are not brick walls, but challenges which can be exciting to overcome.

There are still librarians?

I was at the doctor's office yesterday, and the doctor asked me the expected question of what do you do at work.  In the best tradition of Evie from the movie Mummy, I replied "I am a librarian."  (I did this normally without the drunken theatrics though I was sorely tempted.)  She looked at me quite surprised and (I hope) spoke before she thought, "They still have librarians?"

I do believe that my mouth fell open.  I could hear a voice in my head shrieking, "They still have librarians?  They still have LIBRARIANS?  They still HAVE LIBRARIANS?"  with each iteration becoming louder and louder.  She then twisted the knife a bit deeper and asked, "Doesn't everyone get everything from the internet?"  (Hordes of flies could have flown into my mouth at this point.)  And this is suppose to be an educated individual!  Then with a sheepish look she said, "Of course I know there are librarians.  I have friends that go to the library."  I believe that it was time to close my mouth.

She cannot be entirely to blame.  I had forgotten the Boy Scout Motto 'Be Prepared.'  The fact that I was a Girl Scout was no excuse.  I was not prepared for someone that I saw as a highly educated individual to be so woefully, well, uneducated.  Why this surprised me I do not know.  When I worked in academia, we were always have to justify the need for librarians to other faculty.  After all, why should we cut the Journal of I-must-have-to-do-my-research-and-cost-more-than-my-car when we could get rid of a librarian?  Perhaps I should have quoted the Librarian Avengers and explain why they should fall on their knees and worship us. 

Oh well, the next time I will be prepared.  For now, I am going to find a new doctor.