In recent years libraries have experienced significant increases in ebook circulation, all the while grappling with rising costs and stagnant budgets. As libraries now face difficult decisions in collection development, it is important to consider how open access titles can support the mission of increased access. Whether it’s adopting free licenses of public domain titles or supporting regionally focused content, embracing open access allows libraries to address budgetary constraints, holds queues, and the need for robust digital collections. Come learn more about the future of open access and how Lyrasis’ Ebooks and Community Engagement division is working to bring quality open ebook collections to public libraries.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this class, students will be able to:
Describe three ways in which open access titles can support increased access
List the ways in which Lyrasis' Ebooks and Community Engagement division is offering open collections to public libraries
Instructors
Jill Scarson is the Partner Success Leader with the Palace Project, serving as liaison to our library partners and aiding in the successful adoption and usage of the Palace platform and app. In this role she aims to assist library partners as they navigate post-implementation, focusing on developing long-lasting relationships. She believes that libraries serve as beacons of democracy by providing equitable access to information, and that Palace is uniquely poised to assist them in navigating the changing, and sometimes challenging, e-publishing ecosystem.
Prior to joining Palace, Jill worked for healthcare non-profits, as a freelance artist, within academic and public libraries, and spent much of the last decade in high education program support. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration and Master’s of Library & Information Science from Syracuse University, where she focused her studies on information literacy instruction, disinformation, and the policies that impact libraries and their users.
James English currently works as Director of Business Development in the Ebooks and Community Engagement (EBCE) Division of Lyrasis, where he conducts business development activities, partnership development with content providers and discovery platforms, as well as new market entry as part of the EBCE team. He also participates in the community on open source software, specs and open access publishing providers to help build scalable, inclusive and sustainable solutions that drive innovation for libraries. Prior to Lyrasis, James worked at The New York Public Library to create the Library Simplified Program and SimplyE platform. Before coming to work in the non-profit sector, James was Chief Product and Executive Officer of Telemetry Labs and as Chief Product and Operations Officer for Guardian Networks, both web and mobile product development service providers specializing in machine-to-machine technology development, R&D and SaaS for utilities, municipalities and Fortune 500 companies.
Intended Audience
State library and/or archives agency
Public library
Lyrasis Learning events are delivered using the Zoom videoconferencing platform and will have AI-generated captions available. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is available upon request. If you need ASL or other accommodations to support your participation in the course, please contact us at es@lyrasis.org at least 2 weeks in advance of the event or as soon as possible.