E-book Circulation Increasing In Area Libraries

Diana Ashley of Rogers peruses through shelved books Wednesday at the Rogers Public Library. Area librarians say e-books and other electronic media are flying off virtual shelves.

Diana Ashley of Rogers peruses through shelved books Wednesday at the Rogers Public Library. Area librarians say e-books and other electronic media are flying off virtual shelves.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

— Area librarians say e-books and other electronic media are flying off virtual shelves. The increase in usage means librarians must decide how to spend their book dollars: on traditional books or e-books.

The increase in use was gradual until last Christmas when e-book checkouts skyrocketed, librarians said.

“In November 2011, our e-book circulation was between 850 and 900 books. Last month, we checked out 2,500 e-books, about three times as many as last year,” said Judy Casey, Rogers Public Library director.

Hadi Dudley, Bentonville Public Library director, said e-book circulation slowly increased until last year.

“E-books have been inching up since 2009,” Dudley said. “In December 2011 and January of this year, e-books began flying off the shelf and hasn’t slowed down. Everybody must have gotten some kind of e-reader for Christmas last year.”

David Johnson, executive director of the Fayetteville Public Library, said his e-book circulation also took a major jump in January.

“E-books exploded after Christmas last year. Our e-book circulation increased by 163 percent this year over last year,” Johnson said.

E-book circulation at Fayetteville library for all of 2011 was 7,937 books. Through November this year the circulation of e-books soared to 20,884, Johnson said.

“That’s a pretty impressive increase,” he added.

Deciding how much to spend on e-books and on printed books is a balancing act, library officials said.

“We are buying more e-books, but we can’t let our print library slide either. Finding the right balance is a struggle,” Casey said.

Some e-book publishers put a limit on how many times an e-book can be checked out, Casey said.

One publisher has a limit of 25 check-outs on certain books. When that point is reached, the library has to buy another copy of the book, Casey said.

E-book usage may be on the rise, but not every library patron is using an e-reader.

“I’ve never been exposed to e-books or an e-reader. I can’t compare the two, so I guess I prefer books,” said Jean Bright who was visiting the Rogers library on Friday.

Kameesha Williams, with a baby in a stroller and her 9-year-old son in tow, said she has a family e-reader.

“Actually it belongs to my son, but I use it, too. I like print books and electronic books. I like the feel of turning the pages of a printed book, but also like that I can have hundreds of books with me on an e-reader,” Williams said.

A June Pew Research Center report quoted librarians and patrons as saying “the advent of e-books has produced a major transformation in book searching and borrowing at libraries.”

For example, local libraries, recognizing the trend, are giving patrons the opportunity to try different e-readers.

“We have iPads, Kindles and Nooks available in our library,” Casey said. “Our patrons can check out a device for use in the library to see how they like it. They can compare different devises before making their decision on which device to purchase.”

Other libraries have similar programs.

Librarians said the technology is changing, but they don’t expect printed books to disappear anytime some.

“There will always be physical books. Some people prefer holding and reading a real book. People who have e-readers also read physical books. There is a place for both in public libraries and I don’t think that’s going to change,” Casey said.

Librarians agreed e-readers have changed the way patrons read and borrow books, but they say, reading physical books is increasing as well.

“I think reading in general is increasing and I find that very encouraging,” Dudley said.

Technology is changing more than just how people read.

Marcia Ransom, Springdale Public Library director, said the trend to electronic media is changing the library.

“Technology is making it easier for our patrons to read, listen to music, research information or watch a movie, Ransom said.

By the Numbers

E-Book Circulation

Circulation figures in area libraries are changing with more e-books being checked out, but physical book circulation remains the mainstay of library circulation. Library officials say an average of 300,000 print books are checked out each year.

Circulation numbers

City E-books Time Frame

Rogers 44,844 Jan.-Dec. 2011

Rogers 52,116 Jan.-Nov. 2012

Fayetteville 7,937 Jan.-Dec. 2011

Fayetteville 20,884 Jan.-Nov. 2012

Springdale N/A Jan.-Dec. 2011

Springdale 14,130 Jan.-Nov. 2012

Bentonville N/A Jan.-Dec. 2011

Bentonville 12,964 Jan.-Nov. 2012

Source: Staff Report