"Get your library catalog on the web. Your online catalog will be the link to your
church's eBook check out page" wrote Glenn McEowen, in one of the eBook articles (which have been very helpful - thanks Glenn!).
My question is, if we want to begin an eBook consortium, do we need a compatible library automation product, or does the eBook service run independently? From what Glenn wrote, I can't tell what he means by library catalog on the web - can it be a static list, or does it have to be an interactive catalog? Could we set up a link directly from our church's webpage if we don't have our regular collection automated yet? Is there a sample site set up already on the web we could "visit?"
Glenn, can you give us a bit more info? Thanks! Our ECLA chapter in So. California is working toward setting up a consortium. Also, is it possible for one of the members to be a local Christian university, or must consortium members all be individual churches?
Can you also give us an update of the Texas group? It would be wonderful if they could post to the ning or set up a FAQ list at their site.
With many authors and publishers now bypassing print publication and going directly to eBook format (especially in fiction) it won't be long before church libraries must be eBook accessible or be obsolete.
Replies
"Can you also give us an update of the Texas group?"
I do need to update you on the group from Dallas, TX, hoping to start a local consortium using the Overdrive contract. The group did not make in a timely manner. And quite simply, it was the cost.
I am pleased to say, however, that Overdrive has not given up on us. They are interested in the church library market. We have been "back to the table" with some proposals hoping one will pan out. In some ways Overdrive has been flexible, in other ways, mighty "hard-nosed."
We have been shopping with other eBook service suppliers, so Overdrive needs to consider the competition. Every option we've looked at has pros and cons. And the field is changing every week.
Glenn,
Thanks for the update. I'm somewhat surprised about the cost factor being a problem for churches. Any time something new hits the market (espeically technology), it takes time for people to buy into it, and then prices come down, and the product gets improved, etc., but eventually, those who really want it find it to be affordable. With so many Christians (especially pastoral staff) now having ereaders in some form, and with so many Christian book stores closing, having availability via the Internet to download books is wonderful. Many older people are downsizing their homes and others are having to share housing, so there's less room for physical books, plus saving the time/expense of moving or storing books. To make e-borrowing available to their congregation via the church library would be much appreciated by their congregation, and might even be a factor in larger communities as to which church they attend. We have many visitors/new attenders express thanks that we have a church library - many churches in our area don't.
Even in this tight economy, a lot of people can still afford (at least occasionally) to buy books (physical or downloaded), and if they thought about it, the same price they spent on three books (say at an average of $12 each) would easily pay for an annual "eMembership" through their church library at $35 per family. Church libraries that sponsored an "eMembership" partnership with an annual "share fee" would only need about 20 families to sign up (medium size church was about $700 a year, right?) - 20 x $35 = $700. Our library has started a sign-up interest list - I'll keep you posted as to interest generated. We put a notice in our monthly bulletin and also have the sign-up list on a clip board in the library. Please keep us updated.
Joanne,
You have some very good points and some excellent funding ideas. Many libraries will find these helpful as we progress.
The Dallas TX, churches that showed real, "money-in-hand" interest in the eBook consortium were large... churches that would join in the $4500 to $6000/yr. range. The smaller ($750/yr) churches showed less interest. (I was surprised since it's such a great deal for small churches.) In Dallas there simply were not enough, large or small, to reach Overdrive's $20,000 consortium start-up cost.
As mentioned earlier, Overdrive was willing to continue the discussions, and we appreciate that. I certainly haven't given up.
glenn, i am interested in seeing how many churches in my neck of the woods would be interested. i realize not all churches are taking advantage of Ning. do you (or anyone else) have any advice on how to contact all the churches in my area to see if any would be interested? so far the only thing i can think is to write a form letter and send to all the churches in my phone book.
how large of a geographical area is still considered okay with Overdrive?
Good question, Joan. And Melanie, your comments are "right on" as well. As I understand it, the consortium will have its own web page that permits browsing the entire consortium collection. It will be hosted by the eBook service, so your library web page needs only a simple "link" to it. Without having an online catalog, your church members can get complete access to your eBooks on this web page.
But I think the better solution is to direct your members to specific eBook titles through your church's online catalog. On your web catalog they will locate a title using your catalog's search features. From there they can the link directly to that eBook's title page (with your church's name on it.) At this point they are on the Service's web site where they can proceed through the check out process.
Here are a couple of reasons I like using the online catalog: 1) Your members will have a better sense of "ownership" if they know they came from their catalog to a page displaying their church's name instead of the consortium name. 2) It gives the librarian control over the items that you include and exclude from your church's online collection. While we expect to trust the consortium members to make quality selections, a occasional title could cause a problem. 3) Aside from the eBook thing, having your catalog online is just so handy…for your patrons, but even more for you.
For a recent conference, I set up an example in my church's online catalog. Feel free to try it out:
1) Link to http://catalog.OurLibraryOnline.com/start.php?a=WEDGWTX
2) In the search field type: take three
3) Press the TITLE search button.
4) Two titles are shown. Click on the title with the EB media type.
5) Now click on the "Click here to check out…" link.
6) You are at the title page ready to check out.
As you can see, we "borrowed" an eBook link from my local library, but it is a real link. Search other examples by searching EB and pressing the Media search button.
Any of the popular church software packages have the "URL" field which becomes the direct link in your online catalog. The URL field, in fact, the whole MARC record is available from the eBook service company, so cataloging the titles couldn't be easier.
Ann, perhaps i can answer some of these. Overdrive services all of our local public libraries, so i have used the service before several times. 1) when a book is checked out and downloaded/transferred, it is available on that device for the checkout period. it can be returned early, but once the due date is reached the device can no longer access the file. you never have to worry about overdues!! 2) no passing or transferring files 3) if the library has purchased two copies of the same title (eBook format) both people can check out concurrently. if there is only one eBook copy, it's first come first served. once the first copy is returned manually or the due date is reached, that copy is available for anyone else. at our local public library, if you want that title you sign up for the waiting list and the system emails you when it is available for download. 4) you can google it and find lots. if you are looking specifically at Overdrive you can go to Overdrive.com and fill out the online form for sales or call the 800 number. they will connect you with the sales rep for your region.
Ann, I like Melanie's response to your question. I would suggest we all learn to use the eBook services of our local public libraries. It will be a valuable experience to prepare you for the time when your church library does provide eBooks (as it inevitably will.)
As I was experimenting with my local public library's eBook services, I was regularly faced with secular, even immoral titles to choose from. I realized that if our church libraries remain on the eBook "sidelines," our members will have no choice but to use these sources. I love my public library, but acknowledge that it has liberal, adgenda-laden selection policies. The experience motivated me to not give up. The church library MUST be available for our churches' eBook readers, a growing and diverse group.
As Melanie noted in her next post, Overdrive is willing to work with groups of churches so that the cost is shared. In fact their cost for smaller libraries in a consortium is very attractive. More recent negotiations with Overdrive have been positive on the pricing issue.
Ann, we cannot give up. Our church members cannot afford for us to do that.
You are certainly welcome. Overdrive is the same service that is offering church consortium as an option for smaller libraries to share the cost. somewhere on here there is a thread from Glenn about how that would work. they are still not even to the trial phase, but that is an option for all of us if that comes to fruition. i will be praying for all of us in that regard, and that God just uses whatever method He needs to reach His children. Also, there are multiple websites that offer free eBooks that you could provide links for to get your feet wet. They are mostly older titles not covered by copyright, but still good reads and a chance to offer the service/info to your patrons to see how it is received. Try googling "free christian ebooks"
Thank you Glenn. We'll be discussing the possibility of setting up an eBook consortium at our March 10th California ECLA meeting. This would be for our southern California ECLA chapter members. Please keep us posted on the pioneering consortium (in Texas?). We are close to BIOLA College - I wonder if they could be part of our consortium, or is a college too large a partner?
Just a guess, but i think the eBook service theoretically would run independently. the consortium would probably have a webpage where patrons could search to see the holdings. i think the practical side of it, though, is that we are now in an age where people want access to things right away and they want it easily - which means online most times. you could probably print out hard copies of the catalog or even of the web address for the consortium (if my guess is correct) but you would probably not reach nearly as many patrons that way as if you had it all accessible and linked on the web.