BiblioTech's debut set this week

Bexar BiblioTech, the nation's first all-digital public library system, opens in San Antonio this week with the clatter of fingertips on keyboards tapping into the virtual world of free ebooks.

No other library system has launched without paper books, known as “physical books” in the digital library profession. Conceived out of the need for library services in Bexar County suburbs, the innovative approach has captured global attention, with experts eager to see how well the ebook concept is embraced here.

The system is based in a predominately Hispanic, low-income neighborhood on the South Side, where 75 percent of the population lacks Internet access. Yet that's precisely why the $2.4 million facility was built there, said County Judge Nelson Wolff, who envisioned it after he had an epiphany after reading the life story of Apple founder Steve Jobs.

“Ebook readership was going up, more ebooks were being produced, so we thought why not address that segment at probably one-third of the cost ... as opposed to building a big branch library,” Wolff said last week.

Readers praise BiblioTech, the bookless, all-electronic library, scheduled to open later in the month, but remind people in Bexar County that the facility is not sterile and that it will take real-live people to run and coordinate it. less Readers praise BiblioTech, the bookless, all-electronic library, scheduled to open later in the month, but remind people in Bexar County that the facility is not sterile and that it will take real-live people ... more Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 21 Caption Close BiblioTech's debut set this week 1 / 21 Back to Gallery

“We know we're on the cutting edge,” he said. “Somebody said the other day, 'There's 15,000 libraries. Are you sure you know what the hell you're doing, because none of them are doing it?'”

After belting out a hearty laugh, Wolff said that “we believe we know what we're doing.”

By Friday, nearly 2,000 residents had applied for library privileges.

Starting with visions of an Apple store and transformed into a sleek design by Kell Muñoz Architects, BiblioTech has been Wolff's focus for the past year. An avid physical book collector with 1,200 first editions, Wolff recently read his first ebook and is convinced that BiblioTech is worth the investment. It will operate on an annual budget of $1.2 million, with 13 staff members.

Wolff, 72, said his generation isn't taking advantage of ebooks, but “the young people, they are.”

To appeal to young readers, the library has a children's room, ereaders preloaded with kids' content, and shelves and shelves of virtual children's books. Tecolote, the library's interactive owl logo, enables Apple and Android mobile devices to quickly access more kids' content.

In launching BiblioTech — the grand opening is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday — the county found willing partners in academia, including Harlandale Independent School District, in which the library is based at 3505 Pleasanton Road. Harlandale public information officer Leslie Ann Garza said the district is thrilled about its new asset.

“We know it will be a source for reading materials, information and technology like no other,” she said.

Library staff members also have been in contact with neighborhood groups, senior citizens and others to explain its services. Augmenting a plethora of websites, the personnel can guide patrons through the registration process and acquaint them with ereaders and apps required for remote access.

Once patrons get used to ebooks, they'll eventually discover BiblioTech's limitation, one that it shares with other libraries. Many popular books aren't available in digital form, or they're too expensive. The library offers links to several repositories of free literature, but many best-selling titles remain out of BiblioTech's reach.

“We want to focus on what we will have,” Project Manager Laura Cole said. “If you go to a regular branch library, you won't always find a book you want to read there, either.”

The county contracted with 3M Cloud Library for the initial 10,000 titles, and the collection will grow, Wolff said.

Head librarian Ashley Eklof already has a hunch about which book will be the most-requested title: “The Cuckoo's Calling,” by Robert Galbraith, she said without hesitation.

That book, written under a pseudonym by J.K. Rowling, is the first selection for the library's ebook club and is featured on the library website, www.bexarbibliotech.org.

Other likely favorites include Dan Brown's “Inferno” and “50 Shades of Grey” by E.L. James. The collection comprises far more than fiction, with many nonfiction categories, also in English and Spanish.

But some ebook enthusiasts aren't getting their hopes up. Jim Berg, who likes the large print and supplemental information available on ebooks, already scrutinized BiblioTech's inventory and wasn't satisfied with the offerings. While lauding the county for promoting reading, Berg, who owns the Matson Creative media company, contends that “it's a great idea, and I think it's where libraries are going, but it's not quite there yet.”

“I understand why free (literature) is not available, but boy, I sure like the price of free,” he said.

Doubts notwithstanding, last week branch manager Catarina Velásquez prepped the library for a looming onslaught of interest. The glistening reading room, with a bold orange color scheme, is poised for patrons, with 48 iMacs ready for action.

Assets including 600 3M ereaders are available for two-week borrowing, but patrons are encouraged to bring their own mobile devices to expedite registration and setup.

Though the staff is prepared to help novices, many patrons already have ebook experience. The San Antonio Public Library began offering digital content in 2007, a collection that started with less than 1,000 items. “Since then, it has grown to nearly 40,000 ebooks, eAudioBooks and music titles, with over 47,000 circulations per month,” library spokeswoman Caitlin Cowart said.

Bexar County pays the city nearly $4 million a year to make city libraries available to county residents, but more services are needed in unincorporated areas, Wolff and others contend. With the city not annexing suburban areas and cutting its library budget, the Commissioners Court decided to press forward with Wolff's idea, which he unveiled in January.

“The main challenge was how to make it happen in such a quick time frame. ... Conception to opening in less than a year,” County Manager David Smith said.

One advantage the county had was available space in its South Side service center, and Smith initially thought that creating the library would be a matter of finding a suitable model. But staff came to realize there wasn't one.

“It got real interesting real fast,” said Smith, who credits his staff with researching and implementing Wolff's idea.

Word spread quickly in the library profession that the county was committed to the project, drawing coverage from the BBC, major U.S. newspapers, and book and library trade publications.

The county's emphasis on ebooks isn't quite revolutionary. Universities have been replacing physical books with ebooks, and according to a 2012 study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, one-fifth of U.S. adults had read an ebook in the past year.

But Maureen Sullivan of Annapolis, Md., immediate past president of the American Library Association, acknowledges BiblioTech is innovative.

“What's unusual about this one is that it is, from the beginning, going to be just digital,” Sullivan said.

She cautioned readers to expect some disappointment when searching for favorite titles.

“We're struggling, still, to get the Big Five publishers in New York to make available their books in e-form at a reasonable price,” Sullivan said.

There's also uncertainty about whether the digital emphasis produces better readers, she said.

“The technology has appeal for young people. The extent to which it's helping them become readers is still an open question,” Sullivan said. “It is an area of serious research.”

Sullivan lauded BiblioTech for providing resources to those lacking technology.

“That's going to bridge what we call the digital divide.”

jgonzalez@express-news.net