Anderson Reading

• Can libraries as a whole effectively utilize the "long tail" of our collections? Is it worth it? What would we have to do?

In order to successfully implement the long tail concept with libraries, I suggest following the nine rules to help create a thriving environment for the long tail to grow. However, like the music industry, legal restrictions such as copyright may impede the rate of growth. I have listed a brief description of the nine rules below, along with my suggestions as to how they may applicable to the library world:

More inventory- In order to create the long tail phenomenon, first and foremost an ample selection of inventory must be available. Since traditional shelf space is limited, the optimal collection would be a virtual with a corresponding virtual catalog.

Let customers do the work - Create a user interface that allows them to search the virtual catalog and easily locate their need. With so much added noise as you travel further down the tail, findability is a crucial element that needs to be addressed.

One size doesn't fit all - There are really three rules that fit this one idea which I listed below. Put quite simply, most of the long tail success was from providing an almost unlimited number of choices in distribution methods, products, and prices.

• One distribution doesn't fit all
• One product doesn't fit all
• One price doesn't fit all

Share Information - The ability to offer recommended readings to patrons would also help in crease the length of the tail by driving customers to lesser known novels.

Think "and" not "or" - Rather than assuming a consumer is looking for one or the other of an item, our thinking needs to shift to "or". Providers need to become conditioned to offer multiple selections.

Trust the market to do your job - Avoid pre-filtered content. Unlike the old days of limited shelf space, the virtual world allows you to offer every product available. The market will dictate to the producer the supply & demand as opposed to vice versa.

Understand the power of tree - More choice is changing demand