Libraries Can Benefit from Their Long Tails

To summarize: In his book The Long Tail, Chris Anderson discusses a recent trend in the media industries. Once dominated by a few major players, the media market now includes a diluted, extended trail—a “Long Tail”—of minor players, who have created a string of niche markets.

I really can’t speak for all libraries; but my little library has a very long tail—especially in the adult sections. The problem is not as acute in the children’s section, because that department is new. The children’s section has an abundance of the best, the brightest, and the freshest available. There are also numerous dusty, old books [like the Dr. Doolittle treasure that I recently found]; but the flashy books prevail. Our new children’s books fly off of our shelves.

The adult part of the library has been ongoing for many decades; and it is clouded by a plethora of tired, worn books that really don’t reach out and grab passersby. Still, many--like the old Dr. Dolittle--are gems, rotting in mildewed caves.

Anderson speaks of an 80/20 rule, saying that 20% of the population accounts for 80% of the results. In the adult section of our library, that figure is a dream. A narrow pocket of books circulate; and the rest sit. I’d venture to guess that the ratio is more like 95/5.

Our library has an extremely long tail, just sitting and withering—right inside our own walls. That says nothing about the untapped niche markets lying within the grasp of ILL.

My little library is a Free Public Library—at least that is currently the case. I am a Children’s Librarian; and I spend very little time with our library’s statistics. Yet, even I am aware that the threat of funding cuts looms on the horizon. Funding is somehow allocated according to circulation. Anderson’s book speaks of sales; in public libraries, circulation numbers are money.

Anderson also speaks of the satisfaction ratio, when buyers discover the long tail. Several factors affect which of the media becomes the hit parade and which falls by the wayside. In most cases, quality is not the prevailing factor. In many cases, the bestsellers and the rest of the hit parade are mediocre. They are designed to appeal to a mass of people. They are often formulaic. Media of higher quality—media designed to provoke thought and foster satisfaction often falls outside the cut. Many patrons would welcome discovering the niche markets. They just don’t know they are there.

If the public realized exactly what the library offers—for no money, things would no doubt be different. The quiet, empty tombs would probably become thriving, pulsating marketplaces--veritable tag sales. If the public realized exactly what the library offers—for no money, public policy makers would have a very short platform for preaching funding cuts.

Absolutely, our libraries need to find ways to push our patrons down into our long tails—the physical, brick and mortar ones and the longer, virtual tail. We need to increase our circulation statistics. Beyond that, we need to pull away the blanket that masks the treasures that are hiding—just beyond reach. If patrons are unaware that books and media are available, they really cannot be expected to “check them out.”