The BBC has announced it is planning to build a database of all the loan books sold by the UK’s libraries.
The move is aimed at helping libraries sell books in a cheaper, more efficient way.
The BBC will be publishing a new database every year and will publish a list of all books that it has sold in the past year.
“We want to find out if our libraries have sold a significant number of books to the public,” said the BBC’s digital news editor, Tom Hulme.
“What are the books that we are selling, what are the markets for them?”
It is a useful resource that will be available for libraries to make the decision whether or not to keep their books or to sell them.
“The move comes as libraries are under pressure to cut back on books, as demand for books has dropped dramatically in recent years.
The new database will be published online each year and, as a result, will include information about what is sold in individual libraries, in the libraries’ online store, and online at libraries’ branches.””
The BBC is committed to creating a free, reliable and accessible online source of information for all the people of the UK,” a spokesperson said.
“The new database will be published online each year and, as a result, will include information about what is sold in individual libraries, in the libraries’ online store, and online at libraries’ branches.”
Read more from Tom HULME