Comments on: Where Is A Library’s Community?

By: Brian Herzog

Brian Herzog — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:49:04 +0000

@Amanda: A wiki would work, as long as the patrons could figure it out. But even for library staff, that might be the easiest way to manage a multiple-book/multiple-source kind of wish list.

@Michal: Good point about Amazon being a business – funny, but that didn’t occur to me. Similar, I guess, to librarians showing patrons how to search the internet via Google: every time someone clicks on a sponsored link as a result, that’s a case of the library driving them revenue. Hmm.

@Jessica: You’re right, I think it took time of a (or more) Gibson’s employee to manage this, rather than being all hands-off the Amazon way. But if a bookstore(s) has staff willing to do that, then great. Or, if a library volunteer (or staff, but that’s unlikely) could manage it, then also great. The single automatic list from Amazon is very attractive in this case, but local options are worth exploring (and perhaps a review of library or municipal policies regarding working with local businesses, too).

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:54:32 +0000

Very interesting post on an important topic. And while I agree that the library’s original plan to use Amazon did not take into consideration the “support your local business” aspect, my take is that they decided to go with something that was very EASY to implement, and that would, in a word, just WORK. Amazon is set-up to do things like this, while many small businesses may lack the website capabilities, staff tech abilities, staff time, or just plain willingness to do so.

I think it’s great that this book store was willing and able to dedicate the time to the wish list that that have – because, clearly, this was not just an automatic and easy task. The use of email to track the list alone makes it labor-intensive for them and their staff.

I was also thinking about using Amazon to create a wish list for books at our library – and I fully admit that I don’t know that I would have approached the local store about doing it for us. And while I will now take that much more into consideration, I have to say I will highly surprised if the stores in our area have the resources and capabilities to do it, without making it more of a hassle than it is worth for them (and, naturally, for us).

By: Michael Herrmann

Michael Herrmann — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:26:01 +0000

Hi, Brian–I had a sixth sense, a premonition, or perhaps just an email suggesting that I should have a look at your post. It is excellent–the issues are complex, as you point out. But I would like to point out one thing that you aren’t giving sufficient weight to, in my view–when the CPL posted the list exclusively on Amazon, they were ALREADY favoring one business over all others… which you rightly note should be taboo.

It’s funny, people don’t think of Amazon as a business that is in competition with other businesses. They think of Amazon more as some kind of force of nature or something, above the fray. But they are every bookstore’s deadliest local competition.

By: Where Is A Library’s Community? from the Swiss Army Librarian… « Phx Friends of UA SIRLS

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:52:04 +0000

[...] the rest of this interesting story” visit: http://www.swissarmylibrarian.net/2009/09/29/where-is-a-librarys-community Posted in Budgets, library promotion. Tags: public librarianship. Leave a Comment [...]

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:52:01 +0000

I can completely understand why the local bookstore was upset. Public libraries are supposed to be about the local community, and it absolutely makes the most sense for their wish list to be connected with the local bookstores.

The point you bring up of possible perceived favoritism is a good one. I would think that would be solved by asking all the bookstores to participate, but I am not a public librarian so am not certain of the logistics.

I know I would certainly feel like I’d done the community more good if I bought the book to donate from a local bookstore.

What if they made a wiki wishlist? People could edit to say they’d purchased the book to prevent duplicates…..or something.