Libraries target growing e-book audience

[Sherman A1]

Most U.S. libraries lend e-books, but most people don't know about it: Only 22 percent realize the fast-growing digital format is available, according to a new survey. And even fewer people — 12 percent of e-book readers — have borrowed an e-book from the library in the past year, according to a poll released today by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.
"I'm a little surprised," Patrick Wall, director of the University City Public Library, said Thursday when told about the survey.
"Libraries are all trying to educate patrons."
The St. Louis Public Library has hundreds of requests for e-books every month, said Barb Knotts, manager for electronic collections.
In just the past 18-24 months, she said, e-book lending has surpassed the demand for audiobooks. Library card holders don't even have to go to the library to check out an e-book. Most systems allow patrons to download e-books from the library's website.
"It takes time to build any audience," Knotts said. "Libraries are now using social media to alert people about new titles."
The Pew survey delves into the tangle of issues libraries face with the evolving e-book world.
Some of those might be higher than patron ignorance on a library's list of concerns:
• E-books can cost libraries many times what a print book does.
Last year's big summer release, "A Dance With Dragons," by George R.R. Martin, was offered to the University City library at $19.95 for a hardcover, but a single e-book cost $85.


Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/fb6bf996-b0ef-57ab-b5a8-910d76415b02.html#ixzz1yVZWSxVG

[blaze]

1. Wow! This really surprises me!

I would have thought all those people with Kindles and such would have jumped on this... and quickly!

My sister and I gave our Mom (86) a Kindle for Christmas. It was a bit of a struggle at first... neither of us live near her... so I had it shipped to me first so I could try to figure it out and then be available for (weak) tech support via Skype.

Now, she absolutely LOVES it! She loves the portability of it... slips it in her purse when she's off to a doctors appointment or anything else when she might have to sit around and wait. And it's so satisfying when I Skype her and she's grinning and telling me the latest book she had reserved just downloaded to her reader.

[cbayer]

2. Part of the problem has been that these books have not

been particularly easy to download.

I tried to use the Los Angeles county site and just couldn't figure it out.

But that was 6 months ago, so maybe i should try again.

I should get my mom a kindle or iPad. She would really love that.

[blaze]

3. I don't think it's any easier now

if it works the same way it does for Mom. You have to start at the library site and then you get sent over to Amazon and none of it is particularly intuitive. I was afraid she wouldn't get the hang of it, but she was pretty persistent.

[gejohnston]

5. Why I love my Nook

any format and have more choices.

[NMDemDist2]

6. nook and kindle are not supported by my library

only android and i-everything

luckily my Kindle Fire can do android, but it's a hassle so far.

[NMDemDist2]

4. i jumped on it with my new Fire

and the danged thang practically bucked me right back off!!

It's a pain, my library uses blio books app and it's not very intuitive or user friendly! I got a Sansa ZipClip and am loving the audio books, but the selection is small