NAPLE E-book workshop
Sander van Kempen & Ted van der Togt
May 11th 2016, The Hague
Contents
• Role of the library
• Values of the library
• Distinguish from commercial parties
• Architectural choices
Remarks
• Digital ≠ Physical
(don’t get stuck in old models)
• Digital libraries are part of a much larger ecosystem
(where roles are being renegotiated, and there are big players)
• Everybody is learning, let’s share experiences
• We need standards to cooperate
Role
• Presenting digital items is different from physical
• Not restricted to unique ‘shelve spaces’
• Most services still old style: online catalogue or pages to browse
through collection
• Digital opens up many different ways for different users
• Lots of work (online bookshops have already large editorial teams…)
• Question: Discovery and promotion of reading is an important role for
the library, and the way we do it should set us apart from commercial
e-book services – but how?
Values
• Trustworthy (content is collected / reviewed by professionals )
• Independent (content is not restricted to certain publishers for reason
of profit or market monopolies)
• Authentic (content is not falsified, does not contain malware)
• Balanced (content is non-dogmatic viz. religion, politics etc.)
• Accessible (content can be accessed by everyone, regardless of
impairment or financial position)
• Expert (content is curated and promoted by librarians; experts in
literature and reading)
• Question: Are these values reflected in current e-book services?
Library proposition compared to commercial services
• In many countries discussion about ‘subsidized’ vs commercial
• Pricing of content is dictated by 5% of the titles
• Often libraries do not have much influence on ‘purchasing policies’ of
distributors
• Often libraries cannot influence presentation side
• Libraries are pressured on their core image image as the ‘good guys’
by some publishers who brand them as enemies of authors
• Question: How can libraries bring about peace in the book industry
and help stakeholders find a way to collaborate for the greater good?
Architectural choices
• If libraries just ‘forward’ a commercially end-to-end service, the
strategic choices will be made for them.
• By splitting up services like Library Simplified did, libraries have more
control on what they offer (from different sources) and on the
(different) ways they present that to patrons.
• In case of the Dutch situation we are analyzing the impact of
adapting the LS approach.
• If more European libraries would follow the LS approach the
necessary software components would become more generic and
implementations more affordable.
Questions?