I had a great time talking about the future of libraries and general issues of open access and the importance of librarians with the Nerd Absurd podcasting crew. It is a long conversation, but pretty free wheeling, have a listen:
http://nerdabsurd.com/podcast/episode-37-libraries-with-david-lankes/
It’s a back to school sale on Expect More: Demanding Better Libraries For Today’s Complex World ebooks. All formats now $9.99.
Why now? Doesn’t school start in the fall? Not at Syracuse University. All our distance grad students start in July.
As a reminder, here are your options for getting Expect More in ebook form:
SmashWords (preferred vendor) for DRM free ebooks for online reading, Kindle, Apple devices, Sony, and Nook can be found at: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/171252
Or buy it right on your favorite device:
Apple Store:
iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/expect-more/id537795321?mt=11
IPhone and other devices: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/expect-more-demanding-better/id541812851?mt=11
Barnes & Nobel Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/expect-more-r-lankes/1111759955?ean=2940014646581
In Expect More I talk about eBooks and the dilemma not over the new format for libraries, but the new business model. Libraries have moved from owning collections, to renting them in digital resources (databases, ebooks, etc.). With ebooks in particular, there is huge demand amount community members, but libraries are struggling to meet the demand with tight budgets. More importantly, eBook models that license materials from publishers, rather than outright selling them, endangers the libraries mission to build shared collections for the good of the community. This is why I chose Smashwords as my preferred retailer of the book. You can buy the book in multiple formats, and libraries own it outright when they buy it.
In case you are wondering, here is the breakdown in formats and channels after a week and a half.
First the majority of books sold are print:
And here are the venues where folks bought the book:
Now the nook version just went on sale, so these proportions may change.
You can now purchase Expect More directly from your Nook device! Buy it through the Barnes & Nobel store.
Just a quick note to let folks know what is happening with Expect More on Amazon. The first change is that you can now use “Look Inside” to preview the print book:
The second piece of news is that the Kindle version of the new book is available directly from the Kindle store on your device. However, it apparently takes a little time for the Amazon folks to link the print and Kindle edition. So you have to search for the Kindle version separately for now. Update:they are now linked.
Now, that said, my preference would be that you buy the book via Smashwords. It is DRM free, supports some competition in the ebook market, and frankly is more author friendly for royalties. Still, my overriding preference is that you read the book and share it throughout the community, so it is all good.
Hopefully more eBook stores will be coming online soon.
An iPad version of Expect More is now available directly from the iTunes Bookstore. This edition contains a few
More images (in color) plus easy clicking to referenced websites right from the footnotes.
Also, because iBooks use fixed pagination, an index is also included.
Announcing Expect More: Demanding Better Libraries For Today’s Complex World
Now available at http://www.riland.org.
Libraries have existed for millennia, but today many question their necessity. In an ever more digital and connected world, do we still need places of books in our towns, colleges, or schools? If libraries aren’t about books, what are they about?
In Expect More, David Lankes, winner of the 2012 ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for the Best Book in Library Literature, walks you through what to expect out of your library. Lankes argues that, to thrive, communities need libraries that go beyond bricks and mortar, and beyond books and literature. We need to expect more out of our libraries. They should be places of learning and advocates for our communities in terms of privacy, intellectual property, and economic development.
This book is written for the people who support and oversee libraries. This includes college provosts, students, parents, board members, volunteers, and, well, just about everyone who has ever gone to school or pays taxes. You need to know what libraries are capable of, and you need to raise the bar on your expectations. Expect More is a rallying call to communities to increase their expectations for great libraries.
Buy the book in print at CreateSpace (the preferred retailer) and Amazon. It is also available as an eBook from Smashwords for all major platforms.
For more information on the book, to order a copy, or to join the conversation about improving libraries, go to the book’s website http://www.riland.org.
Announcing (and seeking help on) my next book, Expect More: Demanding Better Libraries For Today’s Complex World. At the beginning of the year I said my focus for the year would be on expecting more. That’s what this book is all about. Taking what we know works for great libraries (a commitment to learning, a focus beyond functions, co-owning the library with the community) and explaining that to non-librarians.
While I wrote this book to be read by people outside of the profession, the reason I wrote it was to help fantastic librarians make their case to those who oversee the library. I feel we need to do a better job advocating the power of libraries to our communities, and bringing those communities into the conversation of our future.
First an overview, then the details, then the request.
An Overview
Here’s the blurb for the book:
Libraries have existed for millennia, but today many question their necessity. In an ever more digital and connected world, do we still need places of books in our towns, colleges, or schools? If libraries aren’t about books, what are they about?
In Expect More, David Lankes, winner of the 2012 ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for the Best Book in Library Literature, walks you through what to expect out of your library. Lankes argues that, to thrive, communities need libraries that go beyond bricks and mortar, and beyond books and literature. We need to expect more out of our libraries. They should be places of learning and advocates for our communities in terms of privacy, intellectual property, and economic development.
Expect More is a rallying call to communities to raise the bar, and their expectations, for great libraries.
Unlike my Atlas of New Librarianship this one is written to be short (about 130 pages) and small (6×9 paperback) emphasizing examples and geared towards the general reader. It is based on conversations I have with public library boards, provosts, school administrators, and the general public.
The Details
The manuscript is done and is just about to go into final edits. I’m hoping to have the book out early summer in time for ALA.
I will be publishing this one as both a paperback and an ebook (and by popular request, with an index). I’m also looking for a low price point.
The Request
I’ve decided to self-publish the book. I have had a great relationship with great publishers in the past, but I thought it was time to put my money where my mouth was in terms of self-creation and exploring the realities of libraries becoming publishers. Right now my plans are to use CreateSpace for the print version, and an ePub solution for the ebook version. I’m interested if folks have gone this route and have any advice.
