[Web4lib] effect of e-use on circulation [was: Authority + Wikipedia]

[Mike Rylander]

On 10/12/05, Peter C. Gorman <pgorman at library.wisc.edu> wrote:
> If this is borne out by research, it might give pause to those who
> digitize works in order to *decrease* use of the original (fragile,
> rare, etc.) items. On the other hand, it would provide indirect
> evidence that free electronic access is not an impediment to print
> sales.

While there isn't a great deal of research surrounding library
circulation and purchasing vs. free online access, there is another
market (for lack of a better term) where this has been studied, and
which holds certain parallels to free vs. subscription based access to
online materials:  digital music, specifically the RIAA's claim that
file sharing decreases sales. [1] describes an increase in sales of
file sharers, and [2] describes an opposite effect.  One thing to note
about the studies is that they target significantly geographically and
culturally different groups.  I tend to place more credence in [1], as
that study wasn't performed by the "victim."

Once upon a time I worked for an online media company who's first
product was a personalized music service, so I've given that
particular issue quite a bit of thought.  After considerable
contemplation, and comparing it to the free digital access of library
materials issue, I think the two have a couple basic user-principals
in common:

a) the preponderance of people (file sharers and library patrons) are lazy
b) (in the case of U.S.) people have enough disposable time/income to
allow their laziness

What (a) means is that most people will not take the time to learn how
to burn a downloaded song to a CD, or in the case of digital library
resources, printing a copy or reading it on a monitor is more work
than swinging by a library while they are out running errands.

Because of (a), people will (b) be willing to purchase or check out a
copy of something they start to read in a free online version.  In the
case of online music, they want the music the like with them
everywhere they go, and will purchase a CD because they (a) don't want
to make it themselves.

Well, that's my $0.02 in any case.

[1] http://news.com.com/2100-1023-898813.html
[2] http://news.com.com/2100-1023-883761.html

>
> At 2:31 PM -0400 10/12/05, Patricia F Anderson wrote:
> >This echoes anecdotal evidence from those who found putting up free
> >copies online increased use and/or purchases of the print item. I am
> >thinking, for example, of the UM Making of America project, in which
> >circulation of the included items rose by several 100 percent after
> >the items were made available over the Internet. I don't know if any
> >articles were published about this trend, but if there were I'd love
> >to see them.
> >
> >Patricia Anderson, pfa at umich.edu
>
> --
> _______________________________
> Peter C. Gorman
> Head, University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center
> pgorman at library.wisc.edu
> (608) 265-5291
>
> Fiddle, n. An instrument to tickle human ears by friction of a horse's
> tail on the entrails of a cat. [Ambrose Bierce, _The Devil's Dictionary_]
>
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Mike Rylander
mrylander at gmail.com
GPLS -- PINES Development
Database Developer
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