In our discussion last week on the effect of the iPod and iPhone in libraries we made several conclusions. First, we expanded on the iPod to include MP3 players (or digital content player). We also felt that the iPhone was still too new to have a serious impact on libraries (at least any more of an impact than PDAs of one type or another have already had). We discussed the type of media that libraries would now have to acquire to provide for digital content players:
- MP3s
- Podcasts
- Digital Books
- Movie downloads.
We then discussed how libraries would store this content. Would it be on a central server? Would it be available through an online digital service? Would the library still buy physical copies of content? Would the library check out content players to patrons with preloaded content?
We talked briefly about what equipment a library would have to purchase to provide for digital content. If the library doesn’t purchase or provide technology to patrons, then this could drive a wedge deeper into the digital divide.
We also briefly discussed the issue of DRM. Aurora public library has a service called Media Mall that allows patrons to “check out” digital content. It only resides on the computer for a limited amount of time before automatically being erased or uplayable (returned) from the computer. Unfortunately these downloads are not playable on iPods, only through the Windows Media Player (double check me on that).
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