Book Stores, Libraries Modernize with the Book Industry

Someday soon book lovers may walk into a bookstore, ask for the title of a book and be asked: How would you like that? Print, electronic, audio? For bookstore customers, there have never been so many ways to read a book— and local bookstores and libraries are trying to meet this new demand. 

Patrons of the Rye Free Reading Room and Port Chester-Rye Brook Library have been able to download e-books and audio books through the Westchester Library System's Overdrive program since mid-2008.

Anyone with a Westchester Library System library card has access to the system, which allows patrons to download and install free software, which then lets them check out e-books and audio books. The software can be used on computers and mobile devices, as determined by the publisher.

Rob Caluori, the IT Manager at the Westchester Library System, said they began offering e-books for a number of reasons: budget cuts have forced libraries to reduce hours but e-books are available even when the library is closed, e-books help libraries stay relevant to cutting edge technology, and electronic content is more durable than print.

"An e-book can be circulated hundreds of times and will be just as good as the day its license was acquired by the Westchester Library System," Caluori said.

Local patrons appear to be embracing the technology.

"The popularity has been nothing short of explosive," Caluroi said. "This summer has been an especially active time for the service."

The rise of e-books at libraries, however, don't seem to be affecting the circulation of print books.

Maria Lagonia, director of the Rye Free Reading Room, said overall circulation has been going up fairly steadily, and that while e-books are gaining momentum they aren't negatively affecting the circulation of print books.

"I think our biggest e-book customers are book readers," Lagonia said. "They read whatever format is available."

Large bookseller Barnes & Noble reports success of their eBookstore, which launched in 2009, and the eBook reader devise NOOK, which launched in 2010. Barnes & Noble plans to expand their eBook visibility in stores, adding 1,000 square foot NOOK boutiques this fall.

"Our digital strategy has clearly resonated with our customers," Mary Ellen Keating, the company's spokesperson, said. "eBook sales are accelerating week-over-week."

While the libraries and Barnes & Noble are embracing the new technology, bookstores in the area have mixed feelings about e-books.

Jennifer Siegel, Manager of Anderson's Book Shop in Larchmont, said the bookstore doesn't sell any e-books, largely due to the fact that e-books are often proprietary.

"We've lost quiet a few sales mostly of adult books," Siegel said about the competition with e-books.

According to Siegel, the shop is focusing on other items to combat the losses in book sales, such as expanding their supply of gifts and toys.

Patrick Corcoran, of Arcade Booksellers in Rye, said it was hard to determine how much e-books were affecting his sales, but he's sure they have had some impact.

For the past couple of years Corcoran has been working on a website that he hopes to open in the next few months that would allow the store to sell e-books through at least one book distributor.

"My competition now is everything," Corcoran said.