Growing e-reader demand creates challenges for library. (La Crosse Tribune, 3/27/2011)
Excerpt: La Crosse residents who unwrapped an e-reader at Christmas with visions of free library books dancing in their heads are realizing that dream isn't coming true.
"There are a whole lot of people who bought an e-reader thinking that the library as they know it would literally be at their fingertips," said Rochelle Hartman, information services manager at the La Crosse Public Library. "I have bummed out so many people these last six months."
Libraries are struggling to balance a centuries-old technology with e-readers, tablet-size devices for reading digital books and magazines. It isn't easy.
The La Crosse library's e-book vendor, Overdrive, has crashed because so many people wanted to download digital books. Overdrive offers more than 2,000 titles, but most are usually checked out. Waiting lists are long. And Overdrive isn't compatible with the Kindle, the most popular e-reader.
The challenges just keep piling up, Hartman said.
Related articles:
Publishers Weekly tracks ebook sales. (3/18/2011)
Word is getting out: Ebooks @ your library. (3/18/2011)
Ebooks continue to gain market share. (3/17/2011)
Publishers look to bottom line in formulating ebook policies for libraries. (3/15/2011)
News stories on HarperCollins ebook decision go mainstream. (3/5/2011)
9 years of book sales: trade and ebook. (2/17/2011)
Will ebook readers be wooed by Barbara Cartland? (2/12/2011)
The impact of ebooks on libraries. (2/11/2011)
OverDrive news release: Library eBook circs up 200% in '10. (1/10/2011)
Mashable: 5 ebook trends that will change the future of publishing. (12/29/2010)
Christmas 2010 the tipping point for ebooks? (12/24/2010)
Ereader as brown paper bag. (12/9/2010)
The ebook reader compatibility surprise. (12/3/2010)
Ereader ownership: Survey says.... (11/30/2010)
David Carnoy asks, "Does the Kindle pay for itself?" (11/29/2010)
Need to repair that ebook reader? (11/19/2010)
Who uses an ereader: Survey says.... (9/22/2010)
Book industry wrestles with print vs. pixels. (9/2/2010)
Coming soon to a screen near you: Ads in ebooks. (8/20/2010)
Ebooks now comprise 8/5% of book sales. (8/12/2010)
Genre paperback publishers drops print. (8/6/2010)
Ebooks and libraries. (5/4/2010)
Ebooks eliminate a free form of adversiting: the book jacket. (3/31/2010)
Ebooks: another round of false promises? (3/19/2010)
The skinny on ebooks. (3/8/2010)
Hardcover vs. ebook: Breaking down the costs. (3/1/2010)
No comments:
Post a Comment