Time to ditch printed magazines?

Last year, I shared insights on ePeriodical apps including Pressreader and Zinio. Recently, I was told by a colleague about the relevance of Periodical Collections in school libraries.

They advised me that it is no longer worth spending. The argument was that newspapers and magazines incurred unnecessary expenses because of the easy disposal, whereas a book has a longer shelf life.

I can see their point, particularly as apps such as Zinio will allow you to access back issues for a period of time and once "loaned", it is yours forever. You can download copies to your app, delete them and if you need it again in the future download it again.

The digital replica can in effect have the life that a printed book would otherwise have.

However, studies show the preference for printed resources. Is forcing one to go digital the right way or wrong way?

While the benefits might include access to a greater variety of periodicals, ease of convenience, access to back issues and less maintenance of the periodical collection, the downside is that school students lose an opportunity to locate content from printed periodicals or seek out a printed copy if they enjoy the web content.

What is interesting though is that more magazines e.g. Time Magazine actually provide free digital subscriptions to print subscribers. Even if you take out a digital only subscription, you will have to pay the same price. You might as well get the combined subscription and provide the online login (via your intranet or learning management system).

With access to Australian newspapers, the web services provided for digital replicas and websites to schools is still poor with unfriendly interfaces along with the high costs of providing the service. At this stage, it would be preferred that a printed editions be made available and a single login (via your intranet of learning management system) to the website and digital replica. The digital access would only work for access on a web browser.

As for magazines, abolishing the entire print collection won't work at this stage. Rather, concentrate on the popular titles and cull the less popular ones. If a school can afford a zinio or Pressreader subscription, it should be used to supplement the existing collection. Public Libraries have scaled their collections of printed magazines while providing others online.

And try and see if your subscription includes digital access as to get the best of both worlds, particularly where printed and digital subscription is equal to the price of a digital only subscription.

Print continues to rule for now

Earlier this year, I read The Mandibles (Lionel Shriver) which documents the family as they cope with the complete economic collapse of the United States between 2029 and 2047.

In the book, they foresee a world where there is no print. In fact everyone carries a tablet computer which is as thin as a tissue and can be folded to fit in a persons pocket. One member of the family Nollie herself is an author and works in a world where even the best authors struggle to earn a living. One member of the family has an enorumus library of books and is questioned about why they still keep printed material.

Is this where we are headed? I hope not but have encouraged by what I have read about the desire for printed material from the younger generations.

I read recently that 70 % of youngsters prefer printed material over eBooks. This is an encouraging step because it suggests that they prefer the experience of touching a book, which an eReader or tablet cannot provide.

10 % of book loans in libraries are for eBooks compared to 90 % for printed materials which further reinforces the interest in print.

What about sales of printed books? In the United States, sales of printed books increased by over 3 %, while eBook sales decreased by around 15%.

Are we looking for ways to disconnect from technology or feel threatened by it? Does a book provide the tonic for us to truely escape from technology?