Popular E-Content at The New York Public Library: Successes and Challenges

Abstract

Updated from a presentation given at Biblionext.it in Rome in April 2011, this article will highlight The New York Public Library’s success with e-books and other forms of popular e-content and our efforts to stay one step ahead of the consumer shift from print reading to e-reading. Consumer e-reading is dominated by Amazon.com in the US, followed by one of the largest chain bookstores, BarnesandNoble.com. The availability of digital versions of very popular titles, coupled with the explosion of e-readers, tablets, and smartphones that are priced competitively and fairly easy to use, are helping move a lot of Americans into the e-book world. Last month, Amazon.com announced they sold more e-books than physical books for the first time ever. Print books are not going away, but our experience is that it is clear e-books are no longer just an extra format to offer, they are integral to our future.