Author archives

David Rothman is the founder and publisher of the TeleRead e-book site and cofounder of LibraryCity.org. He is also author of The Solomon Scandals novel and six tech-related books on topics ranging from the Internet to laptops. Passionate on digital divide issues, he is now pushing for the creation of a national digital library endowment.

Toxic for libraries? KKR investment firm to buy OverDrive, biggest library ebook company

The KKR investment firm is buying OverDrive, the biggest library ebook company, providing ebooks and audiobooks to 43,000+ libraries and schools in 75 countries – from Rakuten, also owner of the Kobo ereader, audiobook and ebook business. As the number of e-book publishers and ereaders continues to shrink, David H. Rothman asks, “do we really want to trust digital libraries to KKR on issues ranging from access to reliable digital preservation.”

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Subjects: E-Books, Education, KM, Libraries & Librarians, Library Software & Technology, Software

Opinion – How a national library endowment could help Philadelphia

David Rothman continues his advocacy for a national library endowment to help K-12 and public libraries in Philadelphia, and around the country. His argument in favor of such an endowment is especially resonant in light of the recent college entrance cheating and bribery scams involving the children of wealthy parents and celebrities.

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Subjects: Economy, Education, Libraries & Librarians, Reference Services

Will America’s libraries miss out while Harvard grows still richer? Library endowment could help.

David Rothman is an indefatigable advocate for a national library endowment. He states: “Just ten Americans are together worth more than half a trillion dollars, and the assets of the top 400 U.S. billionaires added up to a cool $2.7 trillion in October 2017. Charity-minded members of the super rich love to give to elite institutions such as Harvard. Its endowment is well north of $35 billion. The Gates Giving Pledge could free up countless billions in future years for prestigious institutions like Harvard. But will America’s libraries miss out while Harvard, Yale, and Princeton grow still richer? Very possibly, if the American Library Association and other good people in the library establishment fail to act in time.”

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Subjects: E-Books, Economy, Education, Libraries & Librarians, Social Media

Donald Trump again wants to kill off IMLS, the library agency

David Rothman’s commentary argues that “good libraries are all about content and community and the needs of local people.” The FY2019 Federal Budget proposes once again to eliminate Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and hundreds of millions of dollars dedicated to America’s libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Rothman identifies what is at stake if these cuts are approved, and how the ALA and others groups are on point to lead a bi-partisan effort to save this funding now and into the future.

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Subjects: Congress, Education, Libraries & Librarians

A young Web, a murderer online, early e-bookstores, censorship battles and more: ‘NetWorld’ book now free via PG

This new article by David Rothman aligns effortlessly with the 21st anniversary of LLRX.com, this site that I created and have published since 1996, during the first wave of World Wide Web initiatives. Rothman has been contributing continuous forward thinking, expertise and innovative leadership since the early1990s on the importance free ebooks, well-stocked national digital libraries, and of librarians enjoying far more of a presence on the Internet.

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Subjects: E-Books, Internet Use Policies, Social Media

The lady in the photo probably isn’t reading a library book. SEO expert Trey Gordner offers fixes.

How to turn phone-aholics and others into library book readers and gung-ho patrons, if they aren’t already? One answer is greater visibility for libraries on the Web and elsewhere. David Rothman explains that’s what Koios, Troy Gordner’s company, is about. Rothman, a national digital library evangelist, also shares innovative ideas that many libraries can implement to raise their visibility, accessibility and viability now and into the future.

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Subjects: E-Books, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Mobile Tech, Mobile Technology, Technology Trends

Are you using a cell phone for s-l-o-w reading? And how about other reading?

David Rothman addresses an often overlook paradigm shift – using a smartphone for slow reading. You almost always have your smartphone with you. And with an estimated 190 million smartphone users in the US, Rothman posits that the discipline of reading on a small screen device can be learned, absent distractions (such as email and social media intrusions). Reading is fundamental (RIF), but the way we read has fundamentally shifted. Read on!

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Subjects: E-Books, Education
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