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November 25, 2008
Publishers should sell directly to UK public libraries
For 150 years we have all assumed that public libraries are a 'good thing' for books. It is time to question that assumption. Why should a publisher allow free loans of books that can be sold? Why should a bookseller permit free government subsidised trading of goods and services in a way that clearly contravenes European competition law ?
While public libraries were part of a genuine attempt to support and promote the use of books for the good of society, for its education and wellbeing, to introduce the taste for reading and the pleasure it brings, then fine; publishers and booksellers could persuade themselves that libraries are a good thing. But our public library service no longer sees the encouragement of the reading of published work as its central role.. Government subsidy is no longer granted for that purpose. Nowadays libraries are community centres and the measure of their success is simply the number of people who visit them. A 'library' which offers free viewing of a football match is a much more successful library than one which offer dull shelves of old and boring books.
The people who do sell to libraries and receive large shares of the tax funding are computer software companies. If you go to the 'Library and Information Show' at the NEC next April you will see row after row of purveyors of electronic gadgetry and web manipulation. UK publishers don't even try to interest public libraries in books. Bill Gates has an open field. Tim Hely Hutchinson and Marjorie Scardino do not show up.
And if you were to go in a library you would see how truly dull and dismal are the selection and presentation of the miserable books on offer.
The supply line from publisher to library is so long and boring that it takes all the magic away on the route. Printer to distributor to wholesaler to library supplier to council service centre, via consortium, to library, many months after publication or sell- by date, makes a truly boring display .
UK public libraries buy £90m books each year, which makes them publishers' 3rd or 4th largest customer. Libraries should spend £200m to satisfy the demand for books within them. Whose job is it to persuade them to spend that money? A small black cat? Or a big fat well paid publishers' sales director? No politician thinks it is their role to increase the spend on books: so there is no point waiting until they do. For 20 years UK publishers have allowed this market to be taken away from them and just at the moment when they could do with the business, they have no idea how to go about securing it. Is there a delegation of publishers seeking out Andy Burnham's review team? I doubt it-- and if there is it wouldn't surprise me if their agenda comprises only ebooks..
Publishers should either close down the public library service, because it is certainly operated wirth their consent, or wake up and service it and sell to it properly with all the verve and enthusiasm of which they are perfectly capable.
Posted by Perkins at November 25, 2008 6:48 PM
Comments
After 15 years as a librarian listening to pompous twats in Update (the journal of CILIP) who seem to want to turn all libraries into cloned interiors of iPod stores (much like the revamped bridge of the USS Enterprise, apparently), I've had it! In fact, were I able to, I would take said twats down to the Enterprise shuttlebay in their jim-jams, open the bay doors and shoot them straight into space.
In other words, the idea of publishers selling directly to libraries may have its drawbacks, but I think it can only be an improvement on the current tech-obsessed/money-wasting/book-hating situation.
I feel very much let down by my profession, have become ashamed of being a librarian, and would welcome a career change.
Anyone want a book-loving librarian who calls users readers and actually dares to fine them if they don't bring their books back?
Posted by: James Christie at November 26, 2008 1:00 PM
Spaceman, James?
Posted by: perkins at November 26, 2008 7:18 PM
There will soon be more books in that international space-station than in most public libraries, and it might be called upon for inter-library loans.
Posted by: Christopher Hawtree at November 27, 2008 9:07 AM
Judging by the proposals just revealed there may soon be more public libraries on Mars than in the Wirral.
Posted by: Martyn at November 27, 2008 3:29 PM
I think that though poor Perkins has a right to be angry at slow or even bad service from suppliers stocking his shelves with books, he should perhaps take a leaf out of the public library community service policy and chose to educate for a better world rather than destroy a supply chain that should be fast,efficient and cost effective. Grab your (book) library supplier by the short and curly's and insist on new books, covered, catalogued and ready to read at the same time as they are piled high in Waterstones. If we can do it in Australia, it must be posisble in the'home' country!
Posted by: Patricia at December 1, 2008 6:26 AM
Patricia
How lovely to hear from Australia!
Most of the delays here aren't caused by the suppliers but by backlogs of stock sitting in council backrooms and warehouses (sadly)
However my point is more about marketing, display and the promotional effort that publishers can bring. They do it to book shops. But here there is a genuine concern that libraries have lost interest in books. Sadly they see them, now, as dull and old fashioned. All the priorities for care and money go elsewhere.I am urging publishers to regenerate some of the interest and participate more than they do.
Posted by: perkins at December 1, 2008 10:55 AM
I have just had a book published. How do I get it into libraries?
Posted by: Mel Price at November 29, 2009 11:21 AM