World Book Night!

It began last year in the UK.  A way to give away books and show support for libraries, bookstores, and promote reading all at once, apparently tens of thousands of people will be out today giving away any of 30 selected free books on the anniversary of Cervantes’ death, as well as Shakespeare’s birth and death. 

According to the website, World Book Night U.S. is a nonprofit organization and applying for tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, supported by American book publishers, the American Booksellers Association, Barnes & Noble, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, and Ingram Book Distributors. 

Anyone doing this?

c2e2 2012!!

Welcome to c2e2 2012.  Surreal barely scrapes the tip.  I type with bad improv in the background...but it's about nerds.  As was the rest of the show.  Chris Hardwick has a big presence here, promoting his website.  Dot.com (yes Kevin Brown, as written by Tina Fey...he calls himself that) is hawking stickers and T-shirts at a table by the long boxes, bustiers, swords, action figures, and t-shirts -- really seems like something Fey could use for an episode of 30 Rock.  And I got to shake hands with Jim Palmer, who was almost too friendly (almost).  As always, though, there was a lot of good stuff for libraries here...mostly, focusing on the sociological study aspects.

Amazing! Pow! Costumes!  For people watching, it doesn't get much better than this.  So much avid fandom.  So much creativity.  So much skin... From the female Super Mario to the 15 year old Storm, I wish I'd come with a box of trenchcoats to cover these girls up.  It is a safe place and they are having a blast.  Repeat this mantra on the exhibits floor.

Seems like a lot of these people make their own costumes, especially the Mario-ette.  So, there goes...Mortal Kombat!  Black Canary.  Sailor Moon.  The lady at the ALA booth was dressed like Effie from The Hunger Games.  I'm surprised there's less Hunger Games here.  Maybe too mainstream?


Anyway, more costumes...Star Wars characters you vaguely remember and certainly couldn't name.  In fact, a lot of the costumes are hard to name because I just don't know who they are, neither does anyone I'm with.  They're for the devout.  For ex, I just overheard a couple of girls geek out: "Oh, there goes a little..wushubashoo..!" *gush* *gush* I obviously missed the last part, but whoever the kid was, she was dressed in orange and white and had a bishop cap.

Wonder Woman I get (though she needs a cardigan).  Poison Ivy, too.  Power Girl...  Costumes can be sexist, read here (in fact there's a whole panel I'll likely miss about geek girls.  Reminds me of this article that was hot about 6 months ago all about self-objectification and how geeks disinclude girls due to their sexism.)  Cat ears, silver and black bustier, tall boots?  Huh?  Jack Sparrow.  But random black and white guy with cowl?  Zombies are huge too.  And this brings in even more crossover...the haunted houses.  The Legendary Dungeon of Doom has a zombie/witch, with her mouth propped open on by a chrome device...all on top of an uncomfortable dual-foot stilt get-up that is as confounding as it is truly terrifying.  2 girls sat by me: orange hair, gold disc belt, black jumpsuit and red sash belt, black teddy, and lone ranger mask.  They were talking about gaming.  Exclusively.  I was really curious about their motivation, why they wear the costumes, (who they were supposed to be), etc, etc, etc.  But I didn't want to creep them out by asking a bunch of questions.  Whether it's empowering, it's not my place to judge.  Have fun kids.

Oh dear, improv!  What a collection of nerdiness.  As I type, they've actually announced that they are the Nerdalogues.  Nerdism is the thing here.  There's a Nerd City booth.  I know this because it's next door to the ALA booth.  Chris Hardwick is the star of c2e2 this year, funny stand-up (which is how he's on my radar) and he's making a small industry of it...

c2e2 2012: Wonder Twin Powers Activate - The Library/Retailer Relationship

Toby Greenwalt, Skokie,
Suggested comics -- Stumptown, King City, Big Questions, Darth Vader and Son, We3, 20th Century Boys, Bye Bye Babylon, WWIII Illustrated, The 99, Arab in America, Hookah Girl, Paying for It...

Trends -- Manga is going down.  Tokyopop closed.  Walking Dead is huge.  Generally, though, graphic novels outcirc traditional genres.  Less title, but better quality, more complexity.

How to Buy -- Increase copy depth (2,3 or 4 copies of Walking Dead, Avengers, Batman, etc.)

Partnership -- Graphic novels are a great tool for reluctant readers.  Libraries send customers over.  Helps the industry.  Having libraries stock GN's legitimizes the art form.  Share programming.  They don't have to be down the street.  The retailer will be hungry to work with you.  Administration may be hesitant...

Should libraries be teaming up with commercial interests?  They are strong, local user communities.  Comic store kids will become library kids.  Great tool for collection development.  Stores hip us to new things.  Buying from a local business beats saving a few bucks on Amazon.  Blanket ordering helps to take away selection time.  Get an "approval plan," get billed, no taxes, etc.  Book store will do RA, tell you what not to buy.  Ultimately, savings??

How to buy -- Traditional journals don't keep track.  Keep a spreadsheet.  Diamond bookshelf covers everything coming out.
Or the bookstore will work within your parameters, build you a list, etc.  Being able to see books can be helpful.  A trust relationship...which leads to SRP prizes.

Programming -- Great contact for creative community.  Hermits will go through comic book store before they will go through library.  Good mediators.  1st Saturday in May is always Free Comic Book Day, can contact the store or them directly.  Author signings, we provide the space while they provide the talent.  Involving kids in creating comics, can use artists.   Manga Studio EX at Skokie's Digital Media Lab.  Single-issue book discussions, bought just for the discussion.

Issues -- Digital content.  Nothing for comics yet.  Josh Elder's getting some content up soon, we have been told...though it's not searchable yet.  Industry has its ups and downs.  We are clueless, but free to push for a better solution.
We can provide support to Intellectual Freedom issues.

The future -- local content, creative commons.  Collection can reflect the community.  We need to get out in the community, make sure everyone knows we've established the library as public presence...comic book stores can help.

c2e2 2012: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Library

Gene Ambaum & Bill Barnes, librarians who are also cartoonists of Unshelved.

Reading is good no matter what kids read.

Book talks should also be about books kids want to read Preacher is a modern-day War and Peace for middle school kids!

Unshelved Book Club has has tons of guest artists, full page cartoons advertise book clubs nicely, helps kids to pick up Between a Rock and a Hard Place.  Here's a fuller list, since it's not easy to find.

The Homeless can be funny -- most of the situations have happened in their library, like the homeless person who lived in the ceiling.

A lot of people don't get their cartoons.  Even regular readers.  This was a tough, but hilarious one.  Easy for men to relate to.

Universal is that people are the same all over, no matter the library, country, etc.  Many libraries have had books returned with bacon as a bookmark.

Budget Cuts -- "for a good time call" on the bathroom wall to get hashmarks on those reference sheets during "sweeps week."

The History of the Bookmobile

From 1850's horse-drawn carriages to rolling job-readiness vehicles, Bookmobiles continue to serve a vital need -- hit 'em where they live. 

Read the article here.

PLA 2012: The State of Ebooks in Public Libraries and Publishing

Katie Dunneback LOC
Jessica Moyer, University of Wisconsin
Publishers are doing bad things.  Overdrive marks up their prices quite a bit.  Ebsco has a new ebook service, fair pricing scheme, they bought out NetLibrary.

Have purchasing habits of ebooks changed in last 6 months?
We buy more, I think.  Harper Collins still sells to libraries.  3M is hopeful.  People feel stuck in Overdrive due to the purchased content.  ILS and ebook companies blame each other for lack of compatibility.  We feel like they may trick us into thinking we can keep content and then switch to not offering that to new libraries after we see them be nice to a few to attract us.  We're leery to buy much because it's so cumbersome, slow, and changing so much.  More ebooks than audio.  Circulating readers.  Should we get video?  Reference titles bought outside of Overdrive.  Low-comfort titles, such as GLBT, erotica, etc.  Hard to move money around sometimes.  Getting same materials, but in eformats.  Suggestions via email vs. Overdrive's "want it now" button, libraries get percentage of the sale.  No one will sell us the products we want.  Ingram's just starting.  3M's fully integrated, very viable.

What do We Imagine Would Be the Perfect Model for ebooks?
Instant access to everyone.  Publishers won't sell.  The Digital Content and Libraries Working Group from ALA is hopeful.  As is Library Renewal.  Overdrive's "buy it now" links to a list.  Remove all the friction, that publishers want it to be difficult.  Freading takes .50 to $2 per title.  But no big 6.  No selection necessary.  Stocking and circulating readers.  300 nooks/kindles by genre lent out to patrons.  Very gray copyright area.  B & T has a popular lease program.  Could be like that, with some selection.  Hoopla is Midwest's AV streaming, soon to be downloading just for music, audiobooks, movies.  Or pay the database subscription rate yearly.  Universal file format vs. the Wild West, which it is now.  More ease of use.  Less phone reference on this stupid problem. 

Contract law, not copyright law, applies to ebooks, intangible items.  Why things are so crazy.  Librarians understand this better than the layman.  As a country, we may be too diverse to legislate this on a large scale initially (this is why education recently got worse), though ALA could help getting copyright reform to favor libraries.  The publishers shouldn't be sued, the multimedia CEO's need to be attacked.  The Dept of Justice lawsuit is scaring publishers.  But it may not have a lasting impact.

We can all advocate to publishers directly: "thanks for the show, I really like your books, I want to buy them for my patrons.  How."

PLA 2012 Backstage Pass to Concerts at Your Library!

Kelly Bennett, Derndale, MD
Kevin King, Kalamazoo, MI
Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding)


Kelly Bennett, Derndale, MD / Kevin King, Kalamazoo, MI
KPL: big budget   ....   FPL: tiny budget

Why Concerts?
PLA 18 service areas, community chose 5, one was reading, viewing, listening for pleasure.  Hard to connect with 20's & 30's without kids.  Tap local musicians, friends come to see them, get cards, connect to services.  Get into local scene, pick up CD's, get acts to test out work in front of sober, nice test audience.  Can also bring children.  Elderly people also come, sit in back, enjoy, huge fans. Exposing young people to quality, local music, may become musicians.  Raises "cool" factor.  Monthly show attracts huge crowd of regulars in "listening room" environment.  Afterhours shows can be louder, but daytime can bring a nice, mellow vibe.  Hipsters/musicians enjoy unique venue.

Where/What
Cram people in.  70 at FPL, 170 at FPL.  Variety, make it fun.  FPL does rock, KPL does something more mellow. FPL does small acts.  KPL has hosted Justin Townes Earle, but mostly locals.

Musicians vs. Authors
Author visits highlight books and concerts to highlight.  It may have to use a booking agency, make an offer.  Look for what's already playing, if they want to stop over.  Be in the music scene, talk to people, personal connection gets acts.  Eventually, they start coming to you.  Be consistent: 3rd Weds of every month, First Stop Friday, etc.  Providing another venue, when others are disappearing will get not only locals, but local musicians talking: "have you played the library yet?  They treat you very well."

National vs. Local
National: potential for larger audience, more attention for library, higher costs, booking agents, contracts and riders.  "Routing gigs" have hotel costs, 1/3 or 1/10 of what a musician would normally get.  Riders can be strange just to make sure people read them.  Most are sound needs, fresh towels, water.  Some can be urban legendary.  Agents need to talk to someone who knows what he or she is doing, agents "like to talk dirty" and don't like to "pussyfoot" (JWH's words).  Give them a reason to do it.
Local: connection to scene, hipster cred, providing musicians a venue, not always professional (best to set ground rules before hand: "no drinking on grounds."

Promotion
Press release (early!), concert poster, social media, area calendars, what can I get the musicians to do?, music blog, word of mouth.

Pre-concert Prep
PA ($200) & Sound Engineer ($175), staff (1 person + volunteer(s)), room size, library open or closed?, set load in and sound check times (coordinate with sound person to be set up first), room set-up & lighting, merch table, "Green Room" (AV closet), refreshments, recording the concert, security (good to have available).

Concert Day!
Before/During: Load-in/soundcheck/set up gear, parking, food & drink, room set-up/chairs, volunteers, introductions, social media during concert (Tweet/FB at soundcheck to promote, also during show)
After: Sell merch, clean up/assist break down, performer feedback, post-publicity (website--Youtube channel).

Costs
$3-500 or $100 per person + travel, publicity, PA & Sound Engineer, refreshments, giveaways.  Or free (+ travel, publicity, PA & Sound Engineer, refreshments) for acts trying out new stuff, if you're FPL.

John Wesley Harding
His website.  NPR will be hosting a music/book combination.  Was offered to do a gig one night and a reading the next day.  Makes it much more attractive sans the money.  Then he performed a song called "I Cant Make Love to Bob Dylan."  A lot like Robyn Hitchcock.  "I can't get it on with Blonde Upon Blonde," best line.