Free E-books and Audiobooks from Public Libraries

I always like to highlight services, products, or posts that demonstrate how public libraries provide e-books and e-audiobooks to the public. As time passes by, I believe that there will be two sets of devices coming, those that work with public libraries to provide free e-content, and those that do not. Those that do will work with services like Overdrive and will understand that people still want to check out books for free. Those that do not will include products like the Kindle in which all their services are locked down and you need to pay to play (even for some free content).

One thing I have to say about books and reading. Not everything is online and not everything is in digital format. The only books that are freely available online (without having to go through a public library) are classics that are assigned in high school that most people hated then. There are very few places to get current, free, good books online and a public library is the biggest one.

Image by ai.dan via Flickr

The Sony Reader can download free content from any number of sources. In particular, you can get the latest best-sellers for free from public libraries that use Overdrive. On another point, you can now begin to use iPods to collection content from there as well. As of July 1, iPods will work with almost all of overdrive content. It actually treats the audiobook download like an audiobook as opposed to the content provided like an album. (For instance, I downloaded the Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein and it is an MP3 broken into an album of 15 parts, all with 1 hour segments. If I played a song the last time I listened to the audiobook, it lost my place, very annoying. ) I just downloaded The Angel's Game by Zafon and it has it broken down like an audiobook on my iPod. Instead of one hour segments only, it has them in one hour segments and then broken down into 3-5 minute increment. That way, if I stop the book, I can easily find my place again, but then I don't have to, it remembers it for me.

E-books in libraries are the best way to combat any piracy. That's the next big issue of online content. I also think it is ironic that Scribd will start selling e-books when that was one of the biggest book piracy sites available (not of their own doing of course). Many of the book piracy sites are going away now that more attention has been paid. Prior to researching the topic, I didn't realize that most of the books available through these sites didn't exist digitally before. There was no deal with the author or publisher; they were illegal. I think a lot of this can be stopped if more current e-books are available online through public libraries. They are the only medium that currently provides free content that is legal. I just hope that isn't taken away in the digital age.

Broadband Stimulus Fails

The NOFA (Notice of Funds for Availability) for the Broadband Stimulus package of $7.2 billion has been released. However, the strict definition of broadband will leave many organizations in need dead in the water.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has a great deal of focus on broadband in rural areas with $7.2 Billion intended to help the underserved. The probelm now is that the definition of broadband is one half of a T-1 line or 768 Kbps. This puts a lot of libraries out of the running. In my opinion, libraries were the key to making this connection.

If we have a public community building, with computer and internet access, in a place where there is limited or no connectivity, then provide money to a library that fits all the categories. I have worked in many rural areas and even the ones that are the most cut-off can muster this amount. Therefore, they get no money even though the potential for increased bandwidth that can lead to innovation and job creation is dashed by this restrictive definition. It hits hard because it is too low for the average library to qualify, but it cuts such a small window, that there will be no demand in those communities that ARE that low.

From this Gigaom article, One-Third of U.S. Doesn’t Have Broadband:

"The firm found that the more money a household has, the more likely it is to have a computer and broadband access (see chart). The study also revealed that only 4 percent of subscribers were unsatisfied with their broadband service, and about 29 percent would be interested in faster services. However, 37 percent didn’t feel a need to boost their speeds. In line with other surveys, Leichtman found that 3 percent of Internet subscribers say broadband is not available in their area. So in addition to policies encouraging the buildout of broadband infrastructure, the government should also be thinking about getting computers to lower-income homes and teaching folks the advantages that come with using broadband."

More articles have firmed up this argument:

Free broadband won't entice all (news.bbc.co.uk)

"Broadband is becoming increasingly important to people's ability to participate in the economy and society," said Ofcom's market development partner Peter Phillips.

"The report shows that some creativity will be required if we wish to capture the imaginations of those who have yet to engage with the benefits the internet may bring," he said.

.....(yet)

"Some 43% of adults who currently do not have internet access would remain disconnected even if they were given a free PC and broadband connection."

This debate is interesting because while many advocated for broadband in rural areas, those actually living in those areas are not creating a demand. Many Internet Service Providers are trying to drum up interest and demonstrate the need. Unfortunately, only communities that have an affluent section will probably get that broadband. They often are the ones that have broadband at home and want to increase their speed or have moved from an area where they had broadband and now they don't.

by smiling_da_vinci

Libraries are typically the only place to get internet access in rural communities. Furthermore, they are the only places to provide fast broadband access. This quick access can create demand from communities for faster access. In the library itself, demand for faster access provided by the library varies by community.

As a private citizen, I can get up to 18 mpbs at my house, but the local library may be only limited to 1.5, that's a big difference. As someone who uses the library, I would think the slow internet would be an embarrassment and wouldn't use it unless it was faster. As a private citizen using dial-up, I wouldn't know what you could do with faster internet. I may not even understand the difference. I would only know that if wanted to send photos to someone via email, it seems like it takes forever. Which brings up another post (humorous), Gigaom, Broadband Confession: I have Pipe Envy:

"However, my upload speeds are still miserable, at less than 512 kbps, and that’s what has me feeling like an outsider looking in when it comes to technology. Sure, I can talk the talk about broadband as a platform for innovation, and hype cloud computing, online backup and uploading video files. But whenever I attempt it, I have to shamefully set up my uploads for the nighttime hours while I creep off to bed knowing that, otherwise, sending the standard definition video clip of my daughter’s first haircut would cause my Internet connection and daytime productivity to crumble. Om feels my pain."

It seems that the demand would be created in reaction to a need. I may not understand the overall value of faster broadband, but it could realize it if day-to-day tasks are executed more quickly. It's difficult not to try to offer broadband everywhere, but it is further difficult to spend money in areas that don't demand it. Things should be equal, but the resource could be wasted. In the end, this legislation is about job creation. However, the only jobs that will be created will be the one time cost of laying down fiber. There aren't any additional jobs created by increasing my bandwidth. After that, the hope is the new faster internet can lead to innovation and opportunities to those in rural areas.

Library Literacy Conference in Three Rivers

I attended the library's 9th annual literacy conference in beautiful Three Rivers, California. I had the honor of speaking to them before the event where I focused on the importance of their work in our economic recovery.

I referenced a recent Washington Post article that compares two rural communities and their broadband success. One was more successful than the other because their community was more affluent, the population had a higher education, and there was a workforce development program already there.


Rural Riddle: Do Jobs Follow Broadband Access?
Two Hamlets That Got High-Speed Lines Show Wildly Different Results
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042203637.html

"And the education gap cannot be dismissed", said John Horrigan, Director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

"It's Economic Development 101 to try to improve the supply of infrastructure to make a locality more attractive for businesses, but you do need a skilled workforce to fully exploit that," Horrigan said. "In rural America, for broadband adoption, skills and relevance still remain a barrier."

Even further explained by this Federal Communications Commission (FCC) report on rural broadband access:

Bringing Broadband to Rural America: Report on a Rural Broadband Strategy FCC

"Stimulating and Sustaining Demand for Broadband. Various factors may affect demand for broadband services in rural areas, including a lack of knowledge regarding the benefits of Internet access, lack of training on how to use a computer, socioeconomic and demographic factors, and affordability. To help stimulate and sustain demand for broadband services in rural areas, both public and private entities should consider developing consumer education and training initiatives, broadband affordability programs, and other incentives to achieve sustainable penetration rates."


So the key to any economic recovery, even if the library were to receive a broadband grant, isn't just fast internet access, but a skilled workforce. Without the literacy program, any other efforts wouldn't be as productive.

Literacy Issues and Stopping Short

There were great insightful discussions at the conference. Some great topics were:

The lack of diversity among tutors.

In some cases, adult literacy has focused too much on English Acquisition for Spanish Speakers instead of just general literacy.

The literacy center can deter students that have basic skills, but still need improvement.

In many cases, there is a frustration that the student only goes so far. They get to a level that they want to get a job, but no further. It's the problem of good enough.

"Literacy will be useful for the rest of their lives. Not just enough to get a job, or get what you want, but you can enjoy reading, writing, and an informed mind. Too many stop short, how can we change that?"

The best story: A woman wanted to learn how to speak English. Her children could do it. It took months of tutoring and help. One day, she was paying for her groceries when the check-out girl was wondering about how to make a Mexican dish. The student was able to tell her how to do it in English. When she walked out of the store, her six year old son said "Mommy, I'm so proud of you."

There is more information on Literacy from a May 2009 report:
Basic Reading Skills and the Literacy of the America's Least Literate Adults

Literacy Leadership

There was a great open forum where tutors, students, and literacy leaders discussed issues. There are some fantastic comments about leadership and how to make changes in communities.

"Leaders are doers. You see a need and you do something about it. You don't complain, you don't wait for someone else, it's about making it happen."

Image by Newton Free Library via Flickr

What it takes to be a tutor

It doesn't take much knowledge to be a tutor. Many of the tutors remarked that they didn't feel they could help the program because they didn't have a college degree. In the end, if you know how to read, you can help someone else learn to read. It's that simple. It's not the skills to teach, you just need to be patient and willing to help.

Anyone can find a literacy program near them by going here. In California, volunteers can also find programs nearest them by going here.

Google Books, Apple Apps, and Gov Docs or "..you don't have to burn a book you just remove 'em"

Updated 5/24/2009, Apple reverses decision, allows Eucalyptus:

"Then early Sunday, Apple changed its position and accepted the app after discussions with Eucalyptus developer James Montgomerie, the developer wrote on his blog:

"Earlier today I received a phone call from an Apple representative. He was very complimentary about Eucalyptus. We talked about the confusion surrounding its App Store rejections, which I am happy to say is now fully resolved. He invited me to re-build and submit a version of Eucalyptus with no filters for immediate approval, and that full version is now available on the iPhone App Store. "

Apple Says no to Project Gutenberg
"Apple has rejected Eucalyptus, an ebook reader that facilitates downloading public domain books from Project Gutenberg, because some Victorian books mention sex (many of these same books can be bought as ebooks through the iPhone Kindle reader or purchased as audiobooks from the iTunes store). It's amazing to think that in 2009 a phone manufacturer wants to dictate which literature its customers should be allowed to download and read on their devices. "

If Apple really thought about it, they would realize that there are other apps that can download Project Gutenberg books, many of which are explicit. There is a list of 1001 books you should read before you die that include many offensive and explicit books.

Image via Wikipedia

This argument is difficult since it is over access to a book that most people believe should be banned. What's the big deal?

If a private company can do that, they can do that to ANY book. They could ban the Grapes of Wrath. This isn't considered an offensive book, but some people didn't like the way they are portrayed, so they burned the books. However in this case, people who don't agree with the book, don't have to burn it, they can delete them or destroy a program that provides access.

This leads into the Google Books Settlement controversy. If Google controls the digital versions of books scanned from public universities and have complete control of the digital copy, the same thing that's happened in the App store can happen over at google books. Google seems to be altering the settlement agreement:

Google starts charm offensive, but not everyone's on board

"...it gives Michigan the right to the digitized version of any book in its collection, even if Google wound up scanning a copy held by a different library. Michigan will have the right to offer these digital versions through the equivalent of interlibrary loans, and the general public will apparently be allowed to purchase access to its collection, even if they have no association with the university—although this may just be through the online book retailing that will be part of Google's service. "

In particular, information provided by the Federal Government have been altered or deleted since the information provided made people nervous. They also do it in an underhanded way.

Homeland Security Agents Pull Ohio Libraries’ Haz-Mat Documents

"It all began March 26, when a woman came to the reference desk and asked Martha Lee of the Bluffton (Ohio) Public Library for the Allen County Hazardous Materials Emergency Plan. Lee told American Libraries that after receiving the appropriate binder, the woman declared, “You can’t have it back.” The patron removed the materials and substituted a letter stating that the haz-mat manual would be “available for public inspection” at Allen County’s Homeland Security Office, although “proper ID may be required” to access it. According to Lee, the woman also said, “Well, I have a whole list of libraries I have to visit.”

These kinds of actions were far worse post-September 11th. So much disappeared out of fear rather than out of need. This raid had to be performed in person, getting a physical document. However, items online can be deleted just like an Itunes Store App, a Google Book, or a Government Document.

It's no wonder that when private companies are involved with books that they would encourage censorship of materials, even ones are that in the public domain. They can cite guidelines and restrictions and user agreement, but in the end private companies (nor the Federal Government) have no obligation (and certainly no incentive) to provide access to materials that some people find offensive or dangerous. What does our future for information look like if these trends continue?