As part of our preparation for the Ebook Summit, The Digital Shift is featuring a series of interviews with leaders from major ebook vendors in the library space. This week we talk with David Burleigh, Director of Marketing, OverDrive.
1. How long do you think it will take for libraries’ ebook collections to outpace print book collections? (If ever…)
We’ve already seen this transition in some higher ed libraries, but it’s too difficult to generalize in public libraries. The adoption of eBooks has been quite rapid across the board but has varied based on size of library, funding, community needs, etc.
2. What role do you foresee for libraries in the digital book world?
Libraries will serve in the same role they always have: As curators of information for their communities. Librarians are ‘information specialists’ and they will continue to connect readers with all forms of reading. Patrons will come to libraries for recommendations of what to read next and to find and discover relevant information.
3. What do you predict will be the next big disruption/innovation to impact the ebook landscape? (Give it your best shot…)
The addition of the dominant e-reading platform to the eBook landscape in libraries – Kindle Library Lending – will create an enormous wave of new library users.
4. How does your company’s digital strategy reflect these understandings?
We’ve seen an unprecedented explosion of ebook growth in libraries throughout 2011, and this next innovation will cause even more rapid acceleration of ebook adoption. In response to this growth and in preparation for the addition of Kindle, OverDrive announced our WIN strategy at ALA: to streamline user experience and to provide access to more content.
Ebooks: The New Normal is a one-day virtual conference on ebooks and their role in the future of libraries, presented by Library Journal and School Library Journal. For more information: ebook-summit.com
About Barbara Genco