building a music collection that brings people in to your library
TRANSCRIPT
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