Words&Money: An Ongoing LIbrary Ebook Conversation

Andrew Albanese is kicking off an ongoing conversation about the library ebook market, as noted here:

This article is the first in a new twice-monthly series on the digital library market. Having covered the market since 2000 (when I wrote a cover story for Library Journal on NetLibrary) I've had a front row seat as the digital library market has evolved. And with digital lending now a core service for libraries, and after numerous conversations with librarians, publishers, vendors, and technologists since the launch of Words & Money, I believe that the time is right for an ongoing conversation. The series will include features, interviews, opinion pieces, and contributed essays on a wide array of topics, and from all corners of the industry: libraries, publishers, vendors, technologists, and educators. We look forward to your feedback. -Andrew Richard Albanese, Editor.

The first article, Librarians Say the Library Ebook Market Needs Another Breakthrough Moment,” is well-worth a read, and I don’t say that because I was interviewed for it. Far more interesting content is here than what I had to say. It provides an interesting and cogent overview of developments in the last decade and half—no mean feat in light of how very much has happened. Rather than comment here, I invite all interested in the library digital content to read it and get involved in the conversation. Note, too, however, that in the same weekly edition, one can also be informed about Illinois’ ebook bill, Iowa legislation problematic for libraries dying (mercifully and deservedly!) the death, much news about book banning and the fight against it in many places, Good news for a change from Texas, and School Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year, Alexandra Cornejo. You can read all this for free, but please consider becoming a subscriber to help this important forum keep going. It isn’t expensive and is a great place to follow all library news. (Disclosure = nothing to disclose. Neither I nor ReadersFirst benefits in any way from subscriptions.)