Library EBooks Get No Love

With libraries basking in the post-Christmas glow of a renewed patron interest in eBooks, one would think only positive things would be on the library eBooks horizon. Unfortunately, beginning last fall, libraries have seen a continued decline in the number of publishers wishing to sell them library eBooks, culminating in Penguin’s most recent announcement that they will no longer be offering additional copies of eBooks and downloadable audiobooks for purchase through OverDrive.

In November 2011, Penguin declared that they would no longer be selling new eBook titles through OverDrive (see my post on this). Following that, both BrillianceAudio and Penguin pulled their audiobooks selections from OverDrive in January. Penguin’s final straw came on February 9, 2012, when they announced they would be ceasing sales through OverDrive February 10, 2012. This latest development followed Random House’s affirmation that it would continue to sell eBooks to libraries without any lending restrictions, but would be raising prices. Although there is talk that Penguin is working on a "continuance agreement" for materials that libraries have already purchased, Random House is the only one of the Big Six publishers selling through OverDrive at this time.

Penguin’s retraction seems to have signaled a “gloves-off” response on the part of libraries. Not only are well-known blogger librarians providing their followers with scripts for how to talk to their patrons about their decreased eBook selection, others are posting information in their libraries about how to contact publishers. Although these measures may seem drastic, if we are to heed the warning of Andy Woodworth’s number one prediction for 2012 – “Here Come The Embargoes!” – this may be the moment for libraries and eBooks.

Whichever way librarians choose to fight it, libraries do need to stay in the eBook loop and that may mean either considering alternative suppliers or alternative ways to offer eBooks. Due to changes in OverDrive lending, some libraries have already launched their own eBook platforms. It is hard to say how this will all develop, the eBook landscape is definitely shifting.

Romance and the Library

Romance and the Library?  A Match made in Heaven...

            Do the dusty, quiet stacks of a library sound like a hot date spot?  I think so!  

Meet the new wave of events that has been slowly building into public libraries. It is speed-dating served with a side of literary love.  Vancouver Public Library is just one Canadian example.  A recent article in the Globe and Mail described VPL’s programs as “Read Dating.”  Interested participants rotate around the room with two vital components: a favourite book and a literary pseudonym (for instance, I might choose to be Jane Austen for the night).   The book is used as an icebreaker tool to ease individuals into conversation and to give them the opportunity to speak on a topic that they are familiar with.  The literary pseudonym is used for confidentiality to limit the pressure to reveal too much personal information during the night. 

             VPL has held two events so far and have planned two more in February surrounding Valentine’s Day.  The two previous events have been split between heterosexual 19-35 year olds and LGBTQ participants.  Having success with both events, VPL has realized that they are offering a safe and fun experience. Medicine Hat Public Library has coordinated similar speed-dating events but they have also included activities such as games and movies. 

                Why is this great idea? 

1.       Participants can arrive ready to discuss their true interests in reading.  By sharing their thoughts on a book, participants have a unique opportunity to create new reading lists, maybe try a genre that they otherwise might avoid, or even swap books in the process. 

2.       It has the possibility to change the community’s perception of the library. Planning events like this catered to Adults demonstrates a playful side of the library and innovative thinking in terms of events and programs.

3.       It’s all about networking and building relationships in the community.  For those newcomers to the city, it is a nice environment to meet others, even if a romantic relationship doesn’t necessarily follow.  Sometimes it’s just nice to discuss books!

To read the full Globe and Mail article, please visit here

 

VPL’s “Read Dating” programs can be found here: http://www.vpl.ca/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar.cgi

“Love at the Library” at Medicine Hat Public Library can be found on their website: http://www.mhpl.info/  

EPL Early Literacy Videos

As part of Edmonton Public Library's current focus on early literacy, they have launched some great videos with songs and rhymes that kids can enjoy. They are both entertaining and educational and provide a nice break in the day for busy moms or caregivers. The videos are well done, short and very appealing for young viewers.

So far they have launched 3 videos dubbed as "Storytime Station" and will be launching one a week for the next 5 weeks on the Edmonton Public Library YouTube channel. The first few can be found at http://www.youtube.com/user/edmontonpl?feature=watch, and the rest will follow a similar approach of rhyme and animation.

EPL has given permission for libraries to share, post and use these videos in any way they wish. They do have EPL branding at the beginning and end but the rhymes are universal. There is an epromo kit available for libraries to use if you are interested in sharing these on your website (the kit includes banners and titles). Please let me (Terra) know if you are interested in accessing these.

A great example of the ways libraries can serve a need identified in their community.

Drawings Become Beloved Toys

I recently came across something that I thought was very fun: a company called Child' s Own Studio. Child's Own Studio will custom making soft toys for children based on their very own artwork:



I would encourage everyone to check out the website to see some more examples of the awesome stuffed creations that come straight from a child's own imagination. Child's Own Studio is Canadian based and "started with a simple idea: to make a recognizable comfort toy for a 4 year-old boy based on his drawing." According to the website, Child's Own Studio will usually charge between $70-$130 (Canadian) per toy and will ship to both Canada and the United States.

Although this doesn't seem to directly relate to libraries, I was trying to think of how I could spin it to be relevant for us library folk, so here's what I've come up with. Your library could hold a children's program centered around...let's say monsters. You could read books like "The Librarian from the Black Lagoon" by Mike Thaler and "Your Pal Mo Willems Presents Leonardo the Terrible Monster" by Mo Willems. Then, have the children draw their most creative monster and display those drawings in the library. Then you can either have a contest where patrons vote on their favorite drawing, or you can have a draw to pick one of the drawings and send the winning drawing to Child's Own Studio to have it made into a plush toy for the winner. It's a great way to promote creativity and the toys that come out are just so darn cute!

Canadian Libraries and SOPA/PIPA

If you were using the internet last Wednesday, you likely noticed that a number of major sites, including the English version of Wikipedia, Reddit, and Mozilla, were blacked out in protest of the United States’ Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA). Many other websites, especially small, online businesses, also went dark. While both SOPA and PIPA have now been shelved indefinitely (see articles on CNN and The Los Angeles Times), it is worth noting that the library community in the United States spoke out against these acts with a strong, unified voice. But should Canadian librarians care?

The passing of SOPA and PIPA in their current forms should concern Canadian librarians for two reasons. The first reason is that they pose a direct threat to freedom of information on the Internet. As it stands, SOPA gives individuals, corporations, and United States government the right to order a site’s payment partners to cut a site off or to block a site without ever going through a judicial process*. Ergo, this law would allow large media corporations and government officials to decide what content should be available on the Internet without having to answer to anyone.

The second reason is that if they were to pass, it is likely that they would influence pending copyright legislation in Canada. Michael Geist, University of Ottawa law professor and well-known copyright activist, details how SOPA and PIPA have already influenced the formation of Bill C-11 in his pre-blackout post “Why Canadians Should Participate in the SOPA/PIPA Protest.” If SOPA and PIPA were to move forward, it is possible that our government would attempt to align itself with the U.S. through similar legislation. (Also, see Michael's recent article on the Huffington Post.)

As defenders of the right to freedom of access to information, Canadian librarians should keep a close eye on SOPA, PIPA, and Bill C-11. The Internet has become the world’s forum and if we are to ensure that “[a]ll persons in Canada have the fundamental right … to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and intellectual activity” as stated in the Canadian Library Association’s Statement of Intellectual Freedom, it important that we are aware of these issues and add our voices to the conversations occurring about copyright, censorship, and access to the Internet.

* See the link to the "One-page guide to SOPA" on the Swiss Army Librarian's Blog for information on how SOPA works. Other useful links are included in the post.

Promoting e-Resources

E-resources - databases, online sources, online learning, whatever you want to call them - are a big part of most libraries today. In many libraries, a large portion of the acquisition or collections budget are given over to e-resources, and libraries then (try to) proudly display and promote these sources.

However, this promotion doesn't always work the way it was hoped. Sometimes the message just doesn't reach the people (or the right people). Other times the message doesn't create the impression it needs to. In short, promoting e-resources is difficult, but definitely worth the effort.

The Northern Lights Library System (NLLS) maintains their own excellent blog for librarians. Just under a year ago, they wrote a two-part feature on promoting e-resources, and upon discovering it, I wanted to share from it.

"The idea behind promoting E-Resources to our library managers is that the more familiar you are with them, the more likely you will be to use them yourselves and recommend them to your patrons"
This point is well taken, and being 'familiar' with e-resources doesn't just mean knowing their names. The post goes on to suggest that some library systems quiz their managers to make sure their knowledge is up to date - a key part of helping patrons understand the sources. Of course, managers could also quiz their own staff, or staff could quiz the managers.
The post also suggests "To promote it, you may want to make sure there’s a short cut to it on your public computers. While in the site (using Internet Explorer, not Firefox), right click with your mouse." Many of you may already do this, but the advice is worth repeating.
From my own experience in libraries, I've seen some that include signs or posters in various parts of the collection that point the patrons to e-resources that complement the items in that part of the collection. I've also heard from patrons who found such schemes to be very beneficial.

To sum it all up, there are a great number of ways to make sure that your patrons are getting the most they can out of e-resources, and it may involve promoting them in ways you hadn't previously considered.

The post from the NLLS blog:

Part 1:
http://www.nlls.ab.ca/blogs/show_entry/741
Part 2:
http://www.nlls.ab.ca/blogs/show_entry/741?title=Promoting+E-Resources%2C+Part+2