The very first statistics for the month of June came in this morning - and they are incredible!
747 new library cards were made in the month of June. That's equivalent to the number of cards made in a month at the height of Plainfield's housing boom!
Even more exciting is the number of checkouts from our digital collections. 1,270 were checked out through MyMediaMall, which includes ebooks and e-audiobooks in a variety of formats. That's more checks outs in a single month than libraries more than twice our size - Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Evanston and Aurora!
Showing posts with label ebooks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ebooks. Show all posts
Friday, July 1, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Ebooks Limited to 26 Loans by Publisher HarperCollins, Prompting Outrage
For you non-librarians out there, this may be the first you have heard of this. For those in the know, skip to the video which shows the wear-and-tear of 26+ loans.
On Friday, publisher HarperCollins announced that they would be limiting the use of their ebooks for libraries to 26 loans. This prompted outrage from throughout the public library community. With declining revenues and increasing demand, public libraries like Plainfield are struggling to provide the things our residents need and want. You may recall that demand for ebooks following Christmas resulted in the crashing of the OverDrive site, through which Plainfield provides ebooks and downloadable audiobooks.
HarperCollins responded on Tuesday with additional information about their decision. While one understands their desire to maintain their own revenue stream, 26 loans is an extremely low and arbitrary number. In the normal course of operations, libraries do purchase replacement copies of older books in order to continue making them available. What is not acknowledged is that public libraries also make use of donated books for replacement purposes, a practice that is not available with ebooks.
To demonstrate the point that 26 loans is not a realistic reflection of use before replacement, the Pioneer Library System in Oklahoma pulled few HarperCollins books that had been loaned more than 26 times to show typical wear-and-tear:
Time Magazine's online edition included another take on the issue.
The question of licensing and the limiting of ebook use isn't settled. Perhaps a tiered system, similar to the lease program for books, may come into play. As it stands now, HarperCollins decision will hamper the ability of this public library to meet the high demand for ebooks, so recently expressed by our residents.
On Friday, publisher HarperCollins announced that they would be limiting the use of their ebooks for libraries to 26 loans. This prompted outrage from throughout the public library community. With declining revenues and increasing demand, public libraries like Plainfield are struggling to provide the things our residents need and want. You may recall that demand for ebooks following Christmas resulted in the crashing of the OverDrive site, through which Plainfield provides ebooks and downloadable audiobooks.
HarperCollins responded on Tuesday with additional information about their decision. While one understands their desire to maintain their own revenue stream, 26 loans is an extremely low and arbitrary number. In the normal course of operations, libraries do purchase replacement copies of older books in order to continue making them available. What is not acknowledged is that public libraries also make use of donated books for replacement purposes, a practice that is not available with ebooks.
To demonstrate the point that 26 loans is not a realistic reflection of use before replacement, the Pioneer Library System in Oklahoma pulled few HarperCollins books that had been loaned more than 26 times to show typical wear-and-tear:
Time Magazine's online edition included another take on the issue.
The question of licensing and the limiting of ebook use isn't settled. Perhaps a tiered system, similar to the lease program for books, may come into play. As it stands now, HarperCollins decision will hamper the ability of this public library to meet the high demand for ebooks, so recently expressed by our residents.
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Enterprise Asked "How Does the Library Compete?"
In case you missed it, the Enterprise newspaper's recap of 2010 issue included an editorial that asked about how the Library competes in today's technology-driven world. Below is my response, also printed in this week's newspaper:
The “Happy New Year?” editorial asked “How does the library compete in an ever increasingly [sic] technological market?”
Technology is a tool. Books may have been the first tool used by public libraries to provide access to information, but they are not the only tool. Technology has reshaped the way libraries deliver information, but the basic mission of providing access to information continues. Plainfield Public Library District uses technology to keep up with the needs of the Plainfield community in a time when demand for service is greater than ever.
In 2010, you checked out over 756,000 items from the Plainfield Public Library, an increase of 24% over 2009. Those check outs include a wide variety of formats beyond books: ebooks, downloadable audiobooks, video games, CD audiobooks, DVDs, music CDs, Blu-Ray DVDs, downloadable videos, software on CD and more. Not included in that figure is your access to dozens of databases and online services like Ancestry.com and Homework Help Now that would not be available without today’s technology.
Computers and Internet for the public are core services at your Library, never dreamt of when public libraries were invented. You can get access to your Library’s resources and collections with a Library computer or your own, in the Library or from anywhere in the world, using the Library’s wired connection, free Wi-Fi or your own Internet access to connect to the wide range of services and collections available to you from the Library’s 24/7 branch: the Library website www.plainfield.lib.il.us. At Plainfield Public Library, you can find both computers and help using them - from getting your resume printed out to a computer class for learning new skills, from a quick answer to a “how do I…” question to Book a Librarian one-on-one training. In December alone, users logged onto Library computers for over 6,200 sessions, more than 18 public computers used every minute the Plainfield Public Library was open in December. Demand for Library computers has swelled from 3,700 sessions in 2004 to nearly 50,000 in 2010. Whether you type a paper, check your email or fill out an online application for a job, this service is essential to many who cannot afford or choose not to have a computer or high-speed Internet access at home.
Beyond offering more formats than ever before and computers for public use, Plainfield Public Library is keeping up with the latest technology you want to use. E-readers were the must-have gift this Christmas. Your Library was ready with the MyMediaMall downloadable collection of ebooks and downloadable audiobooks. So many library users went on the MyMediaMall site in the first few days after Christmas, the site crashed. Upon its revival, you checked out nearly the entire Plainfield Public Library ebook collection, prompting your Library staff to make increasing the ebook and downloadable collections a priority. One of only 17 libraries selected from throughout the United States to pilot the Sony Reader Library Program, your Library is partnering with Sony and local businesses to market e-readers, downloadable collections and how to use them. Starting with e-readers donated by Sony, you can now check out e-readers, adding one more way technology is changing how you use your Library.
Today’s question is not how libraries compete, but how does your Library keep up with your needs as technology changes? Plainfield Public Library District uses technology as a tool in its mission to Educate - Captivate - Connect.
The “Happy New Year?” editorial asked “How does the library compete in an ever increasingly [sic] technological market?”
Technology is a tool. Books may have been the first tool used by public libraries to provide access to information, but they are not the only tool. Technology has reshaped the way libraries deliver information, but the basic mission of providing access to information continues. Plainfield Public Library District uses technology to keep up with the needs of the Plainfield community in a time when demand for service is greater than ever.
In 2010, you checked out over 756,000 items from the Plainfield Public Library, an increase of 24% over 2009. Those check outs include a wide variety of formats beyond books: ebooks, downloadable audiobooks, video games, CD audiobooks, DVDs, music CDs, Blu-Ray DVDs, downloadable videos, software on CD and more. Not included in that figure is your access to dozens of databases and online services like Ancestry.com and Homework Help Now that would not be available without today’s technology.
Computers and Internet for the public are core services at your Library, never dreamt of when public libraries were invented. You can get access to your Library’s resources and collections with a Library computer or your own, in the Library or from anywhere in the world, using the Library’s wired connection, free Wi-Fi or your own Internet access to connect to the wide range of services and collections available to you from the Library’s 24/7 branch: the Library website www.plainfield.lib.il.us. At Plainfield Public Library, you can find both computers and help using them - from getting your resume printed out to a computer class for learning new skills, from a quick answer to a “how do I…” question to Book a Librarian one-on-one training. In December alone, users logged onto Library computers for over 6,200 sessions, more than 18 public computers used every minute the Plainfield Public Library was open in December. Demand for Library computers has swelled from 3,700 sessions in 2004 to nearly 50,000 in 2010. Whether you type a paper, check your email or fill out an online application for a job, this service is essential to many who cannot afford or choose not to have a computer or high-speed Internet access at home.
Beyond offering more formats than ever before and computers for public use, Plainfield Public Library is keeping up with the latest technology you want to use. E-readers were the must-have gift this Christmas. Your Library was ready with the MyMediaMall downloadable collection of ebooks and downloadable audiobooks. So many library users went on the MyMediaMall site in the first few days after Christmas, the site crashed. Upon its revival, you checked out nearly the entire Plainfield Public Library ebook collection, prompting your Library staff to make increasing the ebook and downloadable collections a priority. One of only 17 libraries selected from throughout the United States to pilot the Sony Reader Library Program, your Library is partnering with Sony and local businesses to market e-readers, downloadable collections and how to use them. Starting with e-readers donated by Sony, you can now check out e-readers, adding one more way technology is changing how you use your Library.
Today’s question is not how libraries compete, but how does your Library keep up with your needs as technology changes? Plainfield Public Library District uses technology as a tool in its mission to Educate - Captivate - Connect.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Farewell, Libraries? Not Likely!
This blog post was forwarded to me by one of my staff: Farewell Libraries?
The rise of ebooks brings up the question of the future of libraries, one that has been asked since the first personal computers hit the market. Libraries have evolved along with technology. While most people's first association with a library is still a printed book, library users today find a wide variety of resources available to them: books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, computers, online databases, ebooks, downloadable audiobooks and more. Librarians have the expertise to search beyond the first page of Google hits to help you find information to answer complex questions with reliable sources.
Libraries bridge the "digital divide", the gap between those who can afford gadgets and computers and high-speed Internet access and those who cannot (or whose PC crashes at an inopportune moment). In most communities in the US, the one place you can go to use a computer for free is the public library. If you don't have the means to own a computer or ebook reader, libraries can provide access. Yes, as libraries continue to evolve along with technology, they will change. They already have. Ten years ago, public access computers were not a core service at the Plainfield Public Library. Today, over 135 people per day sign on to a public computer at the library.
Sure, ebooks are more popular now than ever before. That's why the Plainfield Library offers ebooks and downloadable audiobooks! Like public computers, access to ebooks is just one more service we offer as the library evolves to meet your needs.
The rise of ebooks brings up the question of the future of libraries, one that has been asked since the first personal computers hit the market. Libraries have evolved along with technology. While most people's first association with a library is still a printed book, library users today find a wide variety of resources available to them: books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, computers, online databases, ebooks, downloadable audiobooks and more. Librarians have the expertise to search beyond the first page of Google hits to help you find information to answer complex questions with reliable sources.
Libraries bridge the "digital divide", the gap between those who can afford gadgets and computers and high-speed Internet access and those who cannot (or whose PC crashes at an inopportune moment). In most communities in the US, the one place you can go to use a computer for free is the public library. If you don't have the means to own a computer or ebook reader, libraries can provide access. Yes, as libraries continue to evolve along with technology, they will change. They already have. Ten years ago, public access computers were not a core service at the Plainfield Public Library. Today, over 135 people per day sign on to a public computer at the library.
Sure, ebooks are more popular now than ever before. That's why the Plainfield Library offers ebooks and downloadable audiobooks! Like public computers, access to ebooks is just one more service we offer as the library evolves to meet your needs.
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