E-Books Increase Business At Library
By: Katie Shane
Updated: January 14, 2011
If you received a Kindle, Nook or Sony e-reader this holiday season you're not alone.
Staffers at the Vigo County Library estimate hundreds got the gadget for Christmas.
That's because the library's call volume has risen, all with questions about virtual books.
"You have to remember that there are six or seven people working at the reference desk and each of us get the questions and i think we get several an hour easily," said librarian Laura Mitchell.
According to overdriveblog.com e-book check outs have increased 93 percent nationally.
And visits to virtual branches of libraries have gone up 60 percent.
In Vigo County the numbers keep growing.
"With this change of e-books I think it changes not only the physical visits but virtual visits. Allowing them to have access 24/7 from their home changes the way we do things and how the public views their library," said Jeff Trinkle.
So far this year most people visiting the library aren't making an actual visit.
Thanks to the Indiana Digital Download Consortium the Vigo County Library shares thousands of titles with 11 other Indiana libraries.
"We have 84 downloadable video, 1784 downloadable audiobooks," Trinkle said. "And we have 1100 e-books so that's just us."
For the library the books not only increase business, but decrease cost.
A traditional book can cost around $20.
A virtual book only costs 25 cents.
"You're talking about 25 cents for an item for your patrons so it's an incredible savings," Trinkle said. "You don't get anything for 25 cents anymore."
And with the luxury of downloading the book for free and at home the deal seems priceless.
For a link to the library's web site click here.
Staffers at the Vigo County Library estimate hundreds got the gadget for Christmas.
That's because the library's call volume has risen, all with questions about virtual books.
"You have to remember that there are six or seven people working at the reference desk and each of us get the questions and i think we get several an hour easily," said librarian Laura Mitchell.
According to overdriveblog.com e-book check outs have increased 93 percent nationally.
And visits to virtual branches of libraries have gone up 60 percent.
In Vigo County the numbers keep growing.
"With this change of e-books I think it changes not only the physical visits but virtual visits. Allowing them to have access 24/7 from their home changes the way we do things and how the public views their library," said Jeff Trinkle.
So far this year most people visiting the library aren't making an actual visit.
Thanks to the Indiana Digital Download Consortium the Vigo County Library shares thousands of titles with 11 other Indiana libraries.
"We have 84 downloadable video, 1784 downloadable audiobooks," Trinkle said. "And we have 1100 e-books so that's just us."
For the library the books not only increase business, but decrease cost.
A traditional book can cost around $20.
A virtual book only costs 25 cents.
"You're talking about 25 cents for an item for your patrons so it's an incredible savings," Trinkle said. "You don't get anything for 25 cents anymore."
And with the luxury of downloading the book for free and at home the deal seems priceless.
For a link to the library's web site click here.
