digital content in public libraries: what do patrons think?

Let’s Play Our Game!

Andrew Richard Albanese

Senior Writer and Features Editor at Publishers Weekly

aalbanese@publishersweekly.com

BISG/ALA Findings Survey jointly prepared by

ALA and BISG 44 questions 2,000 public library patron

respondents Survey fielded by Nielsen

Book Conducted entirely online

(all respondents are internet users)

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Publishers Weekly Poll

• Not a scientific survey

• Conducted over two weeks at the end of May, 20126, online, and in person at the PW-sponsored Librarians Lounge at BEA

• Featured write-in comments

• 190 Librarians participated, answering some or all of the questions.

• Includes libraries of all sizes, and good regional representation

When choosing where to acquire a book, the public library is the first source

that comes to mind.

99% of patrons had visited their public library in person

within the past year.

63% visited their library online.

Many survey respondents are e-book readers, but most still prefer

print formats.

Most survey respondents were aware of e-book

offerings at their local public library.

E-book borrowing, however, remains somewhat limited.

Only 23% of those surveyed said they had borrowed an e-book from a public library at any time.

PW poll: 30% of respondents said less than 5% of patrons check out e-books; 32% put that between 5-10%

For what reasons do you typically visit a public library?

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Attending events

Reading newspapers/magazines

Accessing research materials

Computer/WiFi access

Borrowing print books

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

E-Book Readers Only 7% read exclusively e-books and no

print books 22% also listen to digital audiobooks 43% prefer to read e-books on a tablet Most likely to choose digital formats for

adult fiction/non-fiction; least likely for children’s books

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA YOU USE IN DECIDING WHETHER TO READ IN PRINT OR DIGITAL FORMAT?

E-Book Genres

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Top Five:Mystery/thrillerScience fiction/fantasyLiterary fictionBiography/

autobiographyRomance

Bottom Five:TravelReligionCookbooksEducation/professional

developmentLanguage

Get the Full Results PDF report published November 2015 Writing and editorial content by Jim Milliot

(Publishers Weekly) Complete demographic breakdowns, including

gender, age, and geography Member pricing: full report: $99; executive

summary: FREE Order online at www.bisg.org/publications

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TREND: E-Book Sales Are Down• “E-Books market share peaked at 24% in the

first quarter of 2014, but has not topped 20% since the second quarter of that year.” –Jim Milliot (PW, 1/04/16)

• No uptick in January e-book sales in 2015, suggests “saturation” in terms of devices.

• After limping across the finish line in 2014, (up 1% ) annual trade e-book sales are on pace to finish down for the first time since the Kindle era began.

• Publishers say they not concerned. But, they are definitely keeping an eye on things.

Overdrive reported that in 2015 total e-book circulation was up 19% over 2014.

33 library systems circulated 1 million or more e-books in 2015

Growth to be expected, as catalogs expanded, more libraries served, and indies like Norton joined.

Libraries still on upswing, but are they also trending down? OverDrive’s e-book circultation was up 33% in 2014; 46% in 2013.

E-Books Slowing in Libraries, Too?

Print: Not Dead Yet! Print Is Back and It's Trouncing

E-Book Sales (Gizmodo, Sept. 15)

The Plot Twist: E-Book Sales Slip, and Print Is Far From Dead

(New York Times, Sept. 22)

Print sales for the year are up about 2.4%.

Image from 2010 Slate article titled Bold Prediction: Why e-books will never replace real

• Dangerous time: basic achieved, but do not become complacent.

• May be a quiet period, but vital you stay engaged.

• It’s not all about publishers. Are you getting everything out of your vendors?

• Publishers need your feedback.

• You are the closest thing the public has to a voice in the room as the digital future is hashed out.

You Can’t Win, If you Don’t Play: Participate. Share. Discuss. Repeat.