[Web4lib] Kindle lending

Tue Nov 2 14:38:03 EDT 2010

Never say never...:0)

I remember visiting the Harvard Library archives a few years ago when the Innovative User's Group held the annual gathering there.  Looking at the stacks, and picking up the (many obscure) materials, I remarked something to the effect that a collection like this would never be digitized -- too much work, too little gain.  I loved (and still love) the idea of digitization, but was overwhelmed by the scale of the work.

Hmmm...a few months later Google announced its partnership pilot with Harvard to, um, well digitize parts of that very collection.  Whoops!

I too try to use positive language to help frame the challenges we're faced with by ebooks, but understand why many of us use terms like "threat."  To me, the biggest challenge is securing licensing agreements that allow libraries to lease access to content and loan it out, followed by the substantial issues surrounding DRM and the locks on content based on a growing number of devices.  The business models we're seeing are certainly designed for direct sales between content providers and end users - and being cut out of the equation does indeed feel threatening.

I'm hopeful, though.  I think books delivered via bits are our future.  If we believe that our role in connecting people with good information transcends whatever wrapper it comes in, then it's up to us to make our own room at the table.

Great conversation - and I see another three great thoughts came into the list while I was writing this...

Carson Block
IT Director
Poudre River Public Library District
201 Peterson St.
Fort Collins, CO 80524
ph: (970) 221-6662
fx: (970) 221-6398
http://www.poudrelibraries.org/

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Wilfred Drew
Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 11:48 AM
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

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