Most U.S. readers unaware of e-books at libraries: poll

xg4bx · 06-22-2012, 02:20 AM

"Though Kindles and Nooks are becoming almost as common as books, more than half of all U.S. readers don't know they can borrow e-books from their local library, a Pew Center poll showed on Friday.

The poll showed 62 percent of readers didn't know if their library had e-books for lending, and only 12 percent of Americans 16 and older who read e-books had borrowed at least one from a library in the past year.

"The most important thing libraries can do is make sure e-books are accessible through the rest of the library system," said Micah May, the director of strategy at the New York Public Library, about raising e-book lending awareness.

Of those who had borrowed e-books, 66 percent said their library's selection was at least "good," while only 4 percent thought theirs was "poor," the survey said.

There are difficulties, occasionally, with the process, with 56 percent of borrowers saying their libraries didn't have a particular e-book while 52 percent found there was a waiting list to borrow a book they wanted. Some 18 percent had incompatible readers for the e-books they wanted."

http://news.yahoo.com/most-u-readers...--finance.html

DiapDealer · 06-22-2012, 02:27 AM

I'm guessing more than half of US readers have never even been to their local library. So it doesn't surprise me that they might not be aware they could borrow ebooks. How many US readers are aware they could borrow framed art from the library?

Lirael · 06-22-2012, 09:58 AM

Well, considering the librarians at my local library don't even seem to know that ebooks are available, I don't find this too terribly shocking...

Rob Lister · 06-22-2012, 10:08 AM

I'm good with other's being ignorant about this. Shortens the waiting lists.

faithbw · 06-22-2012, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lirael

Well, considering the librarians at my local library don't even seem to know that ebooks are available, I don't find this too terribly shocking...

Honestly, that is terrible and is unfortunately a problem among some librarians, especially older ones who may not be as willing to keep up with tech trends. That being said, I think the larger libraries and library consortiums work hard to promote their e-book collections. Whenever I go to the main library where I live, there are posters and bookmarks that promote e-books. There is also a computer in the audio/visual department where patrons can download audiobooks to their mp3 players. On my library's website the e-book collection is heavily promoted.

I suspect that the real issue is that people who have e-book readers many not be likely to get their books from the library in the first. If someone has a Nook or a Kindle, then it seems likely that they're going to buy their e-books as opposed to borrowing them. So if that is their intention, then they may not know they can borrow e-books because that wasn't even a thought when they brought their device. Plus, Amazon and B&N don't exactly use library borrowing as a selling point (not that I blame them...they want people to use the devices to buy from them).

faithbw · 06-22-2012, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

I'm good with other's being ignorant about this. Shortens the waiting lists.

Ha! I wish. Even with library e-books not being very popular, it seems that the libraries I use still have long waiting lists for popular e-books.

Rob Lister · 06-22-2012, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faithbw

Ha! I wish. Even with library e-books not being very popular, it seems that the libraries I use still have long waiting lists for popular e-books.

I think--as you probably guessed--I was joking (a little). This is still all so very new to most everyone. I can't see the average librarian, much less the average person, being tech savvy enough to really wrap their heads around the technology. I'm a very tech savvy kind of guy and I can't really understand all the machinery under the hood of Overdrive. I can piece it together and get a vague idea, but it still makes my brain hurt.

I finally--dutifully--jumped through all the hoops to make e-book library borrowing possible for me and I can attest to some high degree of aggravation during that process. Sure, borrowing is painless now that it's all 'installed', but if something 'goes wrong', I'm screwed till I figure it out again.

taming · 06-22-2012, 11:34 AM

Our library now has ebooks. They run regular tech classes to teach people how to use it Overdrive on a whole lot of devices. They have also purchased a number of Kobo Touch devices that patrons can borrow.

wizwor · 06-22-2012, 11:44 AM

I would agree that most US readers do not use their public library. I know I don't. Poor selection, inconvenient hours, and long wait lists are unattractive to me when I can click a link on amazon and have the book delivered to me or my ereader.

ScalyFreak · 06-22-2012, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lirael

Well, considering the librarians at my local library don't even seem to know that ebooks are available, I don't find this too terribly shocking...

That's incredibly sad.

When I signed up to get my library card a few months ago, the librarian who registered my application form and activated my card asked me if I wanted a flyer on how eBook lending worked, since they'd just switched to a new system. My town is considerably less than progressive and forward-thinking, so I assumed that if librarians here knew about it, then so would librarians everywhere else. Apparently not.

kennyc · 06-22-2012, 12:42 PM

Somebody certainly let the Denver Metro area know.

I almost always have to wait in line cause there's 12 people on the waiting list in front of me!

Blossom · 06-22-2012, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Somebody certainly let the Denver Metro area know.

I almost always have to wait in line cause there's 12 people on the waiting list in front of me!

12 isn't bad. Try in the hundreds. I have to visit my library sites several times a day to get a place in line early.

JSWolf · 06-22-2012, 01:53 PM

Still, given the wait lists, I think enough know about eBooks at the libraries. In fact, in some cases, too many know.

RainingLemur · 06-22-2012, 03:01 PM

Doesn't really surprise me. I had made the trip to a couple of the libraries (brought the boy to look at books) and had asked about it, and some of the other people there were completely unaware of the availability of ebooks, even though there were a few banners and flyers that said "Now lending ebooks!" or something similar.

pidgeon92 · 06-22-2012, 08:10 PM

Perhaps they've figured it out now that they have participated in the survey.

06-22-2012, 02:20 AM	#1
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	Most U.S. readers unaware of e-books at libraries: poll "Though Kindles and Nooks are becoming almost as common as books, more than half of all U.S. readers don't know they can borrow e-books from their local library, a Pew Center poll showed on Friday. The poll showed 62 percent of readers didn't know if their library had e-books for lending, and only 12 percent of Americans 16 and older who read e-books had borrowed at least one from a library in the past year. "The most important thing libraries can do is make sure e-books are accessible through the rest of the library system," said Micah May, the director of strategy at the New York Public Library, about raising e-book lending awareness. Of those who had borrowed e-books, 66 percent said their library's selection was at least "good," while only 4 percent thought theirs was "poor," the survey said. There are difficulties, occasionally, with the process, with 56 percent of borrowers saying their libraries didn't have a particular e-book while 52 percent found there was a waiting list to borrow a book they wanted. Some 18 percent had incompatible readers for the e-books they wanted." http://news.yahoo.com/most-u-readers...--finance.html

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06-22-2012, 02:27 AM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,552 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I'm guessing more than half of US readers have never even been to their local library. So it doesn't surprise me that they might not be aware they could borrow ebooks. How many US readers are aware they could borrow framed art from the library?

06-22-2012, 09:58 AM	#3
Lirael Moomin Posts: 137 Karma: 202147 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: Sony PRS-350	Well, considering the librarians at my local library don't even seem to know that ebooks are available, I don't find this too terribly shocking...

06-22-2012, 10:08 AM	#4
Rob Lister Fanatic Posts: 532 Karma: 3293888 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Virginia Device: Nook Simple Touch	I'm good with other's being ignorant about this. Shortens the waiting lists.

06-22-2012, 11:34 AM	#8
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	Our library now has ebooks. They run regular tech classes to teach people how to use it Overdrive on a whole lot of devices. They have also purchased a number of Kobo Touch devices that patrons can borrow.

06-22-2012, 11:44 AM	#9
wizwor Wizard Posts: 1,068 Karma: 23867385 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: kindle, fire	I would agree that most US readers do not use their public library. I know I don't. Poor selection, inconvenient hours, and long wait lists are unattractive to me when I can click a link on amazon and have the book delivered to me or my ereader.

06-22-2012, 12:42 PM	#11
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Somebody certainly let the Denver Metro area know. I almost always have to wait in line cause there's 12 people on the waiting list in front of me!

06-22-2012, 01:53 PM	#13
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,998 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Still, given the wait lists, I think enough know about eBooks at the libraries. In fact, in some cases, too many know.

06-22-2012, 03:01 PM	#14
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Doesn't really surprise me. I had made the trip to a couple of the libraries (brought the boy to look at books) and had asked about it, and some of the other people there were completely unaware of the availability of ebooks, even though there were a few banners and flyers that said "Now lending ebooks!" or something similar.

06-22-2012, 08:10 PM	#15
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	Perhaps they've figured it out now that they have participated in the survey.

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