Comments on: Differentiating The Information Commodity

By: Minor Musings « Venn Librarian

Minor Musings « Venn Librarian — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:08:54 +0000

[...] a Library? Linda Braun, Beth Friese, LizB, StephenB, Peter [...]

By: StevenB

StevenB — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:55:02 +0000

Jim – I’d make a distinction between consuming the information and acquiring the information. In my post I’m focusing on information as a commodity that we acquire. The same way I’d acquire coffee beans – they’re just a commodity. I could get my coffee beans from any number of sources. Likewise, with a book – which you could look at as a compendium of information – I could get that from any number of sources – amazon, a barnes and noble bookstore, my local public library and coming soon – full-text on the Internet. The library needs to differentiate how it provides the commodity that makes it unique from all the others – and I mentioned that “free” is one of them – but perhaps not enough to encourage the consumer to choose the library over other options. I believe what you are referring to is the experience you have when you consume the information, whether it’s the first time or third time. That is a different matter. The library has no control over your personal experience. One person may love a book while another hates it. But what experience did each have when acquiring the book (information) in the first place. That’s the point about the vodka. You are right – when you drink it you may have an experience that’s no different from me. On the other hand, if I buy a premium, high-recognition brand and you buy the bargain basement brand, I may feel a bit superior and smug when I serve and consume my vodka – which would be a different experience than your experience – and I might even think I’m better when I go to the store and buy and spend more money – even though I’m not. That’s all part of the experience. So why should people go to libraries to get their information? How do we differentiate that experience? That’s the question we need to answer.

By: Jim Nichols

Jim Nichols — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:56:22 +0000

Books, articles and other objects can be treated as commodities, but information as such? When I consume a shot of vodka, regardless of brand, it will do pretty much the same thing for me as for any other human. When I read a book my experience with it will be different from others, and even from my own earlier experience if I re-read a book.

Information objects abound, but information itself exists in the process and the person. See Cook, http://www.comminfolit.org/index.php/cil/article/view/Vol3-2009ED5 .

I’m still sorting this out, but perhaps the differentiation for libraries or a library needs to start with embracing the true nature of our goods and services. Focusing on customers and their needs and uses for informative sources is still key.

By: Adam Wright

Adam Wright — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:54:12 +0000

“He also says that one way to differentiate with commodities is to identify unique categories of customers and focus on meeting their unique needs.”

In my blog, we are highlighting the changing role of the library in the next decade. I am calling it the “Public Library’s Identity Crisis.” I have some interesting email discussions with librarians about the role of the book in the library in the next decade. One library director pretty much told me what you have written about here. My question for you. Can libraries change fast enough to meet the needs of the next “unique category of customers.” What happens when they can’t change fast enough? Our core services of information and archival should always be retained. In this way, we will always have some value to the community despite the latest “category of customer” we are serving. In other words, we should be cautious and make sure to balance new services with our tradition core missions.