0% Loss, No Shelving Required: Downloadable Media in Libraries

“The more of us who participate in this service, the faster this is going to happen.”

Ebook vendors are subscription databases, not downloadable media

24/7 access

digital media that can be checked out and downloads to a patrosns pC palm, phone, chip in your head, whatever

No one vendor can supply all of your needs

Not like buying from a jobber

Netlibrary (1998)
Reference/academic titles
OCLC purchased in 2002
100,000 titles

NetLibrary though content rich, does not have the most user-friendly experience

Can be viewed 15 minutes check out time determined by library or consortia (24 hours – 7 days – 21 days)

Overdrive
(1986) Digital Rights Management solution company
Web based service that allows patrons to download from library mimic website
Digital audio, eBooks, and digital music, with videos on the way
No account – just authentication
OCLC Marc Records with 856 tag link to material

Overdrive will allow your ILS to do the checkout/holds/notification – only Sirsi supports it at this point

With this offerning what do libraries really want? To not have deal with media and its many many issues (note – we should be asking what do our patrons really want?)

BWI (youth services jobber) 20000 eBook titles intergrated in their collections & services (Title tales,

Recorded Books (1979) partnered with Netlirary & OCLC in 2004 for downloadable format
Accounts established – users log in
Buy complete packages, childrens, business, etc. One copy, unlimited simultaneous access
1,200 titles

Michelle Jeske, Denver Public Library

Customer centered : different customers want different things and sometimes they want both physical and digital

Unlimited access to all users reaching the 18-35 age group

Ebooks can’t be lost stolen or ruined
“Weeding is a piece of cake – find and delete”

Easy to return, not late, no space limits, quick usage stats, accessible (autoscrolling, enlarged text, automatic bookmarks), anonymity (no carrying of items to circulation clerk) Most popular The good girls guide to bad girl sex,
Fun!

April 2004: Overdrive
Ebooks.denverlibrary.org
downloadmedia.denverlibrary.org
No user name and password is a clumsy and difficult, but autheniticate fast & easy
Readable on multiple formats and platforms, no high speed connection
One time set up, monthly maintenance fee, cost of books

Downloadable audio can be burned to CD – some vendors don’t allow this.

Not enough books to go around within a week
50 Blackstone titles unlimited
1 copy 1 customer model
Download in parts (chapters) perfect for slower connection, smaller devices

Customers place holds, they have 4 days to check it out for 3 weeks. Info such as excerpts, file size and time length are included in record

No iPod use
Providing streaming music from multiple services 10% of users are listening

eFlicks do require a high speed connection because of large file size
Started circulating on Tuesday March 22! 330 circulations in last 72 hours – 82 titles
Feature films (mostly classics), concert films, documentaries, IMAX, yoga, self0help,
More than half available all the time (subscription format)
No burning allows
Windows Media Player support no Mac
Between midnight and 4AM last night, 2 new people signed up
It will take awhile to get the titles we really want (Narnia, Howl’s moving castle,

If you are waiting on the sidelines to see how this shakes out, you’re missing out on shaking it. It’s all about the numbers.
Weston Woods got added, A&E in negotiations
Popular Titles: The Living Sea
Journey into Caves
Thug Angel : Life of an Outlaw
Dolphins (IMAX)
The Bicycle Thief
8 1⁄2
Endless Summer
Ramones

DO NOT DO THIS WITHOUT ADDING MARC RECORDS TO YOUR CATALOGS

42% of downloadable collection circed in Jan; only 23% of traditional collection

2831 checkouts in downloable media, and 435,000 checkouts in traditional collection. The media circs equaled one of the branch libraries total circs for the month

Holds rule for traditional materials applies: 6:1 (6 requests, order another copy)

Cryptynomicon is most popular download to adobe – different user set?

Least popular subjects are the ones with only a few titles.

Children’s titles are not high circing, except for classics. There was no mention of titles for teens

Please play with us, we promise not to illegally distribute your materials.

Abridged do not go over well.

Digital versions are behind!
Ebooks are $15-$20
Audio $40 average (signification savings)

We haven’t actually deciding how we’re going to pay for the movies yet – bill is paid, but it’s not in the budget.

Selector makes decisions = budget limited, new fiction, bestsellers constant, a new subject each month
Buying for people who we know use the services
Would like to branch out

March 2005 survey:
What is the age of the users user:
39% were 44 +
71% 33 +
90% 25+
55% female
44% from home
42% multiple
8% from the office

3-5 is highest web usage time
How do users read ebooks?
50% read on PC
27% laptop
20% PDA
2% phone

How do users listen to audio?
38% listen on MP3 player
27% burn to CD
22% PC
8% laptop
4% PDA
2% phone

How did users hear about the new service?
82% website
5% staff

Usage by platform:
90% PC 10 % Mac

71% of downloadable media users visit the library at least once a month!

92% want to download movies & music
96% would use the service again

6700 unique customers in the last 2 years; 467,000 active library card holders (over 100)
years)

Promoting – link from various places on website, not just on the databases page
Staff training is critical – encourage them to try it once so they can talk to the customers
Press – get it in the newspaper and they will come

Patron has to download the Overdrive Media Console (as well as Windows Media Player) to play, transfer & burn