Libraries and the Long Tail

I absolutely think that the library world can and will benefit from the Long Tail. I believe the only problems that will arise will be a resistance to the technological evolution of libraries (as we’ve discussed previously, many old-timer librarians fight change tooth and nail). However, I don’t think this resistance will be too difficult. I can’t imagine that too many librarians want to limit the amount of books available to the patrons… and I don’t think anything irks a librarian more than watching a best seller being checked out time and again while great works of literature are ignored.

As technology advances, it will continue to be easier for libraries to tap into the niche phenomena described by Anderson. Though ILL and consortium libraries aren’t new, they seem to be functioning better and better as librarians and patrons make use of available technology such as OPACs and library websites. Libraries nowadays can get us pretty much anything we need. We don’t need to buy books, we don’t need to drive to other libraries… the books we want will come right to our home libraries very quickly and efficiently. It’s true that libraries can’t house every book ever written, but if they can access them for their patrons, the patrons still get the specialized books they’re interested in.

I’m sure library circulations, in some ways, have suffered from the Long Tail. As Amazon sells so many specialized books at reasonable rates, people may be purchasing more and borrowing less. But you can’t beat free and library patrons should know that. This is the first beauty of libraries… they don’t charge a thing (unless you’re tardy). Patrons should also know that just like libraries, bookstores, or any other physical place, their homes can’t house every book they’ve ever read. Hence, the second beauty of libraries… when you’re done reading a book, you don’t need to find a place to keep it. If we had to pay for and keep every book we read, I honestly believe we’d read far less books.

Also, just as iTunes allows people to delve into unique musical genres, online library databases and even online bookstores, allow people to look into a unique variety of books. These books may or may not be available at the local library, but they’re almost definitely accessible from it somehow.

Anderson explained on page 33 that piracy greatly damaged record store profits… “any song, anytime, for free.” Libraries now can provide any book, anytime, for free. And the fantastic thing is, in the library instance, we don’t need to worry about lawsuits! Any book, anytime, for free is completely legal through libraries! Everyone should appreciate that!