Public Libraries

Promoting local public libraries since 1999

Where would we be without our public libraries?

Public libraries are not just book repositories with librarians shushing people and deciphering the Dewey Decimal System.  Modern libraries are so much more than just books.  One particular library has captured the value of libraries in a video called “Where would you be without your library?”. [Read more…]

Denver Public Library uses social networking to digitize photos

Take a close look librarians.  This may be the future of public libraries.  Massive digitization projects where a librarian becomes the digitizer-in-chief.

The Denver Public Library is launching a site next Tuesday that will allow users to upload photos and stories about Colorado.  The idea is to leverage the power of social networking to create a historical digital collection for a geographic location. [Read more…]

Should public libraries try to acquire OverDrive?

If you’ve ever checked out an ebook from a library it’s most likely been through a site powered by OverDrive.  They are the leading distributor of ebooks, audio books, and digital content to public libraries.  OverDrive provides the ebook lending platform for the vast majority of libraries that offer ebooks to their patrons. [Read more…]

DOJ threatens Apple and book publishers over ebook pricing

Apple and five of the “big six” book publishers just received a shot across the bow from the U.S. Justice Department.  The DOJ claims that Apple and the publishers worked together to increase the prices of ebooks.  The Wall Street Journal reported that the DOJ warned that they would sue Apple and the five publishers if a settlement could not be reached. [Read more…]

Libraries might get cloud ebook lending with OverDrive acquisition

It looks like the 3M Cloud Library has made the excecutives over at OverDrive a little nervous.  Yesterday, OverDrive announced that they had acquired the Australian ebook company, Booki.sh.

Booki.sh is a cloud-based platform for distributing, selling, and reading ebooks in Australia.  In other words, they do almost exactly the same thing as 3M’s Cloud Library does. [Read more…]