As I mentioned in a previous post, we recently held some open forums within MPOW’s member libraries as part of our strategic planning process. The idea was to get some input on how well we are serving area libraries and what we can do better. We also asked what trends staff are noticing in their own libraries. Several noted that patrons are coming into their libraries mainly for two things: computers and movies.
That last observation particularly troubled me. I know that there are still many people who use and need the library for Internet access. They come in to check email, chat, look for jobs, etc. I also know that many people enjoy borrowing DVDs for free instead of paying rental fees. What bothers me is that these libraries seem to be counting on these services to bring in patrons. Demand for these services, however, is going to steadily decline.
More and more people are getting high-speed, always-on Internet access from home. A Pew Internet Report from almost two years ago shows that teens have broadband in over half of all homes with Internet access. Some metro areas are getting free WiFi. Over the next several years, even rural areas will get these services via WiMax and other wireless technologies. We are also seeing an increase in the number of people using mobile devices such as smartphones to access email and other information. So where does this leave public access computers in libraries? They will always be needed and used, but public computers will become less and less of a necessity to patrons.
Most people are happy to drop by the library, pick up a video, and then bring it back when finished. They are happy to this because it’s currently the most convenient option to get movies. Many libraries are even offering drive-thrus to pick up materials. So why will libraries see a decline in demand? Because streaming, on demand video is the new thing. 2007 will be the year that downloading video, including movies, over the Internet will start to catch on. Companies like Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, and TiVo are all rolling out services to download movies and other video content on demand. A couple of them make it very easy to send video straight to the TV. Households with broadband Internet (see previous paragraph) will enjoy streaming movies that start playing minutes after renting or purchasing them online. Hollywood Video and Blockbuster are worried about this and libraries should be as well. Because people will eventually find it more convenient to pay a few bucks to rent a movie online than to make a trip to the library for a free rental.
I know that these changes are not going to happen overnight. They are coming, however, and libraries need to prepare for them now. No, the answer is not to find new services that will draw patrons into the building. Libraries need to accept that fact that more and more of their usage will be from remote users and that it’s okay if patrons are not stepping foot into the library itself. Ebooks and downloadable audio books are a start, but libraries need to consider how they will make all of their materials, including video, available to remote users. Vendors like Overdrive are already providing downloadable movies for libraries, but the pace needs to be quickened. Libraries should also consider creating their own video content.
So should libraries be concerned that fewer and fewer people are stepping into their buildings? No. They just need to be concerned about how they will continue to serve those people and stay relevant from a distance.
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