building a music collection that brings people in to your library

Building a Music Collection that Brings

People to Your Library

ALA Editions WorkshopFebruary 20, 2013

Matthew MoyerAndrew Coulon

@acoulon #musicinthelib

Music Industry In Flux

Album sales downShift to digitalTraditional channels in declineBrick and mortar outlets closingMajor labels eating one another

Digital Killed the Radio. Period.

Shrinking playlistsStation ConsolidationLack of quality local programmingLack of quality local DJs

Market Fragmentation

More channels, More selectionThe Long TailNiche Is the new normThe politics of piracy

Is The Industry's Tail Long Enough?

Legacy albums rival new releasesSpecialty & reissue labels digging deep"Lost formats" return

Massive and Passive

Consumption Styles Change• Albums ->Singles -> Streams• Renting (Cloud) vs. Owning (Albums)• Earbuds edge out stereo speakers• Music becomes background noise

Digital Services

Ease Of Use

Is your digital service user friendly?"This is harder than Spotify!"Usability issues might alienate patrons, new and old.

Alexander Street

Alexander Street

Alexander Street

sic Library

Freegal

Overdrive

Overdrive Media Player

Hoopla

DRAM

DRAM

Everyone Jumping Everyone's Train

How much should libraries be expected to deliver, as far as digital music?

Make sure your digital vendor will serve you well.

"Free" Services

Perks of Being Physical

Any questions so far?

Marketing Your Collection

Wake the town and tell the people!

80/20 Rule - Pareto Principle

"The Pareto principle... states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects

come from 20% of the causes." --Wikipedia

Outreach

Make friends, Make fansConvert tastemakersReach out to local musicians and creative community for donations, performance, support, etc.

Live Music In The Library

Performance spaceBattle of the BandsRecording and rehearsal spaceWith local music all in one place, more artists networking inside library

Photo Slide Of Live Happenin's

Photo Slide 2 of Live Happenin's

Librarian As.....

InvestigatorAmateur MusicologistCreative Instigator

Music Advisory

Personalized PlaylistsUse the opportunity to turn patrons on to something newDevelop subject expertise and knowledge of the collection

Readers Advisory Form

Music Clubs

Listening PartyLibrary patrons gather to hear and discuss

music around a themeGuest presentersLike a book club.... but better!

PartnershipsMusiciansLabelsLocal bloggers, writersMusic-savvy professorsShow promoters Public Radio Stations

INSERT SHOT OF RADIO PAGE

Community Collaboration

Help others in your community promote their music and events

Let others help you promote your music and events

Think Local, Buy Local

Circulate local musicCommunity CollaborationMarket AlternativesEconomic DevelopmentBuild a sceneDestination

Local Music Collection

Local engagement with collection.New and exciting content.Affordable investment.

Library as Cultural Hub

Cultural bazaar within the communityLibrary can serve information consumers......And information creators!Help local musicians distribute their work

throughout the city

A Tale of Two Models

Industry Model:• Industry centered• High overhead• Radio, TV,

Streaming• Can it still make

money?• Libraries are

primarily a customer

Emerging Model:• Musician centered• Very lean• Direct to listener• Bands and labels

can be sustainable• Libraries can get

involved and help!

Vibrant Music Collection

Quality contentDigital content chosen carefullyBuilt up by subject expertiseEngages and partners with local music sceneProgramming, outreach

So Much Music, So Little... Money

Represent as much musical variety as possible in your collections

Quality over quantity"I didn't expect the library to have THIS!"

Music, Sweet Music

Rock and RollPunkHip HopCountryJazzMetal

Electronic / DanceExperimental BluesFolk / AmericanaR&B / SoulAlternative

The Fourth Estate

Big TakeoverThe WireWax PoeticsGhettoblasterZero ToleranceRazorcakeUgly ThingsMOJO

PitchforkReverb NationYouTubeStereogumAllmusicInvisible OrangesImpose

LABELS TO LOOK FOR

Rhino WarpMinimal Wave DaptpneMerge Sublime FrequenciesLight In The Attic Southern LordJoyful Noise Lex RecordsPolyvinylNumero GroupDark EntriesHell's Headbangers

Thank You!

Matthew MoyerAndrew Coulon @acoulon

Audience Share / Q+A