[Web4lib] Kindle lending

[Jesse Ephraim]

I agree with Bill.  As a profession, we tend to spend far too much time fretting about whether a new technology or trend will threaten the existence of libraries.  If libraries disappear, it will be because we didn't adapt to the changes and revise our services accordingly.  When it comes to technology, we are our own worst enemies.

I doubt we will see the end of print books in the next few decades.  There are just too many people who grew up reading them and prefer that format.  Ebooks will probably become a larger part of the market, particularly when it comes to time-sensitive materials, but that doesn't mean that print books will disappear entirely.  

I do think that bookstores may eventually move to POD machines, though, with a sample copy of each title on the shelves for browsing.  POD machines are getting faster and better every year, and they bypass the issue of returning unsold books to publishers.  They would also allow publishers to keep titles "in print" indefinitely.

Jesse Ephraim

Director, Roanoke Public Library
308 S. Walnut
Roanoke, Texas 76262
(817) 491-2691
jephraim at roanoketexas.com



-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Wilfred Drew
Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 12:48 PM
To: 'Chris (CE)'; web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Kindle lending

I agree that ebooks will eventually replace print books.  What I object to is the continued negative response in using such language as "undermine" and "threatening" as well as other value laden adjectives.  It is time to quit move away such things and start looking more at how we provide services in what is clearly a new paradigm.

-----------------------------------------
Wilfred (Bill) Drew, M.S., B.S., A.S.
Assistant Professor
Librarian, Systems and Tech Services
Strengths: Ideation, Input, Learner, Command, Analytical 
E-mail: dreww at tc3.edu 
Follow the library: http://twitter.com/TC3Library
Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail or document.


-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Chris (CE)
Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 1:38 PM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Kindle lending

I agree with Tim Spalding that ebooks will eventually dominate.

Almost 10 years ago, when Rocketbooks were the leading ereaders,
someone told me that libraries will always be around because
not every print book will be converted to electronic form and
people will go to libraries for those documents.

I agree in the same way that automobiles have not completely replaced 
horses and buggies.

Horses and buggies are still used in a small number of situations, e.g., 
Central Park,
and by a relatively small number of people, e.g., Amish,
but for the vast majority of times, places and people,
horses and buggies are ignored.

With the rise of Google and the Web, reference books are being ignored 
by most people,
even though reference books may offer better information. I think the 
same is eventually going to happen with other books.

It's the "principle of least effort" in action, i.e., people, including 
professional like doctors, use the easiest source of information 
available even when they know better and newer sources are available in 
the nearest library.

Online delivery of ebooks is a threat to libraries because this delivery 
undermines libraries' traditional asset of having most easily available 
local reading material. Kindles are especially threatening to libraries 
because Amazon will not allow libraries to provide popular content to 
local Kindle owners.

-- 
Thanks,

Chris Rippel
Central Kansas Library System
1409 Williams
Great Bend, Kansas 67530
620-792-4865 (voice)
620-792-5495 (fax)
crippel at ckls dot org
http://ceprojects.blogspot.com
http://creatingreaderfriendlylibraries.blogspot.com
http://publiclibraryshelftalkers.blogspot.com

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will themselves not be realized. ~ Daniel Burnbam, Architect for Plan of Chicago, 1909

The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson