Library district says demand for e-books increasing

Janet Funk, who frequents the Rainbow Library, 3150 N. Buffalo Drive, considered getting herself one for Christmas. She decided to stick with curling up with a book instead. Still, she acknowledged that the wave of the future belongs to digital publishing.

"I’d hate to see libraries disappear," she said. "They should continue to buy new books."

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District has no intention of closing facilities or not purchasing books, but it is keeping up with the way people access titles electronically. It plans to host the Digital Bookmobile, an immersive download experience inside a 74-foot, high-tech tractor-trailer, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 30 and 31 at the Windmill Library, 7060 W. Windmill Lane.

Readers of all ages are invited to experience digital downloading through interactive demonstrations and experience the district’s audiobook, e-book, music and video download service at this free event. The Digital Bookmobile is equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high-definition monitors, premium sound systems and a variety of portable media players. Anyone who takes a tour will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a Sony e-reader.

The technological advancements have come quickly, and the district wanted to adapt. It began offering books through computer download in July 2004. Back then, about the only dedicated e-reader available was the Sony, so most reading was done on a computer.

The district added e-audiobooks in January 2005, which started outpacing the circulation of its e-books in July 2006.

"It was easier to download an e-audiobook and place it on an iPod or MP3 player and carry around," said Lauren Stokes, virtual branch manager.

In 2010, Barnes & Noble came out with the Nook. Borders came out with the Kobo, and Amazon, the Kindle. In September 2011, the library offered e-books available on the Kindle.

According to a recent Pew Research Center study, ownership of an e-reader or tablet nearly doubled over the Christmas holidays. Overall, the study showed, about 29 percent of adults in the U.S. now own either a tablet or an e-reader, up from 18 percent from mid-December.

Library patrons can check out an e-book for seven, 14 or 21 days. When the e-book is due, the file is locked, preventing the user from opening it. The "pretty cover" on some readers also turns white.

The district has an unlimited check-out policy, so the user can go get another "license" for the e-book, provided no one is on the waiting list for that item.

This year, the district is spending roughly $240,000 on downloadable content.

"The cost of (an electronic book) is about the same as print —- both hardback and paperback," Stokes said.

Currently, the district is seeing more adults use e-books because children’s literature hasn’t been available. Teen e-books, including the popular Twilight series, have seen robust checkout activity.

"But picture books and junior books for fifth- or sixth-graders haven’t been there (available)," Stokes said.

A 2010 survey from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center showed that 50 percent of children say they want to read an e-book. One-third say they would read more with e-books.

But the district is cautious when it comes to spending money on books in virtual format. Its strategy is buying just one copy and waiting to see how strong demand is, even for authors with huge followings.

Chris Britsch, director of collection development and bibliographic services for the district, said the book publishers are "feeling their way through" e-book legalities when it comes to libraries.

"It wasn’t until this last year," she said, "when the model changed a little bit so we could purchase a copy and then have it available in all the formats for the patrons instead of having to buy one copy in this format and another in another format … and then, of course, last September we were able to access the Kindle format. …

"Even now, some of the big six publishers will not sell e-book content to libraries," she said. "Ones like HarperCollins will sell a license to have it checked out 26 times. After it checks out 26 times, we have to buy a new license. Penguin was selling to libraries, but about two months ago, they pulled out. Random House, this started yesterday, makes a big deal how they are supporting libraries … but they are charging from double to triple what they charge the private consumer."

"We buy on a ratio of one book for every five that are on ‘hold,’ " Stokes said. "It’s patron-driven. If you want to read James Patterson’s latest novel, I tell people, put a ‘hold’ on it, because (that way) we’ll know to buy more books."

She said as soon an e-book proves it has a following, she can purchase another copy, available almost instantly. Hard copies could take several weeks to arrive.

The library also is going back through its catalogs to provide previously popular books in e-reader form. Sue Grafton is a good example, Stokes said. The "whodunnit" author is nearly through a series using alphabetic titles. The library is filling in the series in e-reader format.

Like Betamax versus VHS for VCRs, "there’s a definite battle going on with the e-readers," Stokes said. "Basically, they’re all the same, but some have other features. And then you have the tablets thrown into that. So, it comes down to personal preference (and) where do you like to read — in bed at night, so you need something backlit, or at the beach in sunlight?"

The library’s fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. The district reports its virtual library’s circulation Year 2010 was 54,794 checkouts. Halfway through, it already was at 78,467 and climbing.

Does Stokes see a day when libraries will have practically no books at all?

"As far as print books, not in our lifetime," she said. "But libraries do need to start now reinventing themselves, finding new services or expanding current services, which they can provide to their community."

Contact Summerlin/Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.