So, the study came out today and most every newspaper in the country has an article about it so do read them, they will not be hard to find. I poured over many of them and this is the paragraph that REALLY struck me:
“Clearly there is an opportunity here for us to step up our outreach and increase public awareness,” American Library Association president Molly Raphael told Publishers Weekly on the subject of patrons not knowing about e-book offerings. “Of course, awareness is not enough. Libraries cannot lend what they cannot obtain.”
So I have question about the role that the American Library Association is (or is not) playing with regard to awareness. What should ALA be doing to speak for all libraries? The article I posted on June 8 provided a list of libraries who had independently collaborated to call for a better service model. Hmmmmm.
As the ALA conference takes place in Anaheim, CA this week and next, I hope librarians will push for ALA, our national organization, to take a more visible and directive roll in advocating for ebooks and educating the public about why libraries push so hard for an equal access model. I would love to see ALA advocate for us in PR and Advertising. Yes, clearly there is an opportunity here for us (ALA) to step up our outreach and increase public awareness. That opportunity has been present for quite some time…
it is really great to see this article, Americans are Hungry for electronic book while we in AFRICA are battling with stability of online public access catalogue, i think it is high time for Africans to change the gear. Nice article.