We’ve already discussed e-readers in an academic setting in
a previous post and there are many articles on the web that discuss e-readers
in public libraries. I thought it
would be interesting though, to find out more about how e-readers are being
used in our own local public libraries.
As a result, I made a visit to my local library, the Graubner Branch
Library, part of the Romeo District Library in Romeo, Michigan.
At the library, I spoke with Heather VanFleet, one of the Adult
Services Librarians. She informed
me that the Romeo District Library actually has five e-readers that patrons can
check out. She said the only way
that Romeo was able to provide the Kindle’s to patrons, was because the Lion’s
Club of Romeo donated them.
I asked her what having e-readers available meant for the
library and for the librarians that worked there. She told me that the library staff is split on how they feel
about e-readers, which really didn’t surprise me. Some of the staff have e-readers and love them and others
really don’t like them, but they are still happy that they can offer that
service to patrons who do like them.
She also told me that although they are very grateful that they were
given Kindles, it also creates some problems. I wasn’t aware of this before, but apparently Kindles are
only compatible with e-books purchased from Amazon. The e-books available through the Romeo District Library are
actually available through Overdrive and the Suburban Library Cooperative. Not all of the e-books available there
are from Amazon and so if a patron checks out a Kindle, they won’t have access
to all of the e-books.
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| The Lending Agreement Form |
Additionally, the Kindles create a little more work and
worry for the librarians. Each
patron who wants to check out a kindle, must fill out a Kindle Lending
Agreement Form. The form was
actually modeled off of the one used at the Clinton-Macomb Public Library for
their e-reader lending. Additionally,
the librarian must fill out a checklist.
Not only do they have to verify that the patron qualifies to borrow an
e-reader, but the librarian also has to make sure that the device is still
working, that all of the parts are still present, and that the titles are
loaded on the Kindle. Because of
e-readers, each librarian who helps a patron check one out must know how to use
the e-reader, so that requires additional training for each staff member.
Another issue with e-readers at the Romeo District Library
is that because of their value and the limited number of e-readers available,
not every patron will be qualified to use the Kindle. The library requires that each user be at least 18 years old
and they must be a resident of either the village of Romeo or two of the
surrounding townships. Additionally,
the patron is required to pay a $20.00 refundable deposit. Not everyone will be able to afford to
pay this deposit and so I think it really limits which patrons will be able to use
the e-readers. If the e-reader is
damaged or lost, there are additional fees that the patron will be responsible
for as well, so there’s a possibility that some people may not want to take
that risk of checking one out.
Lastly, their Kindles are only available for a week at a time because of
their high demand and for some, that may not be enough time to finish an
e-book.
I am in no way saying that I think e-readers in public
libraries are a bad idea, nor am I implying that I think the Romeo District Library
is doing a poor job at providing e-readers and managing their lending
program. The real problems in
providing e-readers in public libraries comes from the fact that there are
limits to which e-books are used on which e-readers because of the many different
brands and companies that sell them. Another problem is that because of the high cost of
e-readers, libraries have to take many precautions with their e-readers, which
can lead to patrons having to shell out quite a bit of money to use one if some
sort of accident happens with it.
I actually think having e-readers in a public library could
be a great idea, especially for those patrons who would love to be able to use
an e-reader and have access to the many e-books available. I just think that having e-readers in public
libraries won’t be a practical thing to offer until the costs go down, so all
patrons can have access, and the access to e-books, based on e-reader brand,
improves.
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