Napster changed the way we get music. YouTube changed the way we watch video. Facebook changed the way we stay in touch. What will change the way we read books?
While the evolution of the e-book has intrigued book lovers and techies, it could be a very different bright idea that ends up transforming the publishing industry.
BookLamp.org is attempting to match readers to books through a system that analyses writing style. The site has been compared to music recommendation site Pandora.com , but for books.
"The publishing industry is largely driven by what we know. Steven King always sells more than anyone else because everyone knows Steven King," explains Aaron Stanton, 27, the founder of BookLamp. "The most optimal books aren't always connecting with the most optimal readers."
BookLamp hopes to make that connection through book scans. The staff scans complete text of books into their database When a user selects a book that he or she likes, the site searches through the database for word patterns, sifting through a book's scene looking for similarities in pacing, density, action, description and dialogue and then recommends matches. The system also incorporates reader feedback.
"The goal isn't to find a good book," Mr. Stanton explains. "It's to find the best possible book for you."
Since it takes hours to read a book, this goal has merit in a culture of time poverty — too many books, not enough time. It's hard to preview a book as one might sample an album or watch a movie trailer. As a result, most readers follow the leaders on the best sellers list, or take recommendations from their friends (or Oprah).
The idea has an Adbusters approach: by matching books based on data, readers can evade the persuasion of marketing. The book recommendations are free and BookLamp says they plan to keep it that way.
Mr. Stanton says the project was motivated by his love of reading, and inspired by the documentary, My Date With Drew. The doc follows an average guy who wants to get a date with Drew Barrymore. Watching the film encouraged Stanton to try to score a date with Google to pitch BookLamp. He documented his adventure online at cangooglehearme.com .
BookLamp.org is currently in beta phase, with a disappointingly small database of Sci-Fi books to test out the idea. The BookLamp team is busy reaching out to publishers to sign contracts so they can expand their library. Mr. Stanton says the response from an industry that is used to turning away people has been surprisingly positive.
But there is buzz out there.
Sharron Smith has been keeping an eye on the site. The Manager of Readers' Advisory Services at the Kitchener Public Library says there's a lot of potential with BookLamp. "He's caught onto a couple of key indicators, reasons why people like the things that they like," she says.
But Ms. Smith adds that BookLamp misses factors like mood. "How do you measure funny?" she asks.
As a librarian, her job is to help readers find books, and BookLamp could help her do that. "From a library perspective, what we would do is take this tool, and combine it with a number of other resources we use to make reading suggestions."
Ms. Smith says the web has a lot of resources to offer. Sites such as LibraryThing , Shelfari , and Goodreads have turned social networking into a community book club by building virtual bookshelves. Bibliocommons is hoping to take that idea to the library.
If BookLamp is Pandora, then Bibliocommons.com is Last.fm says Beth Jefferson, 45, Founder and CEO of site.
Bibliocommons is attempting to transform online library catalogues into social discovery environments. Think Amazon.com for libraries. The Bibliocommons technology is able to decorate catalogues with member comments, ratings, lists, suggested similar titles, and quotes.
"Libraries, because they've really missed a generation, really have an opportunity to be bold," says Ms. Jefferson.
The Bibliocommons system, supported by Knowledge Ontario and the BC Provincial Government, makes its debut this summer in public libraries in Oakville and Hamilton. There are also beta applications in Vancouver, Burnaby, and Edmonton.
Ms. Jefferson says this is "way beyond anything else being done in the world in terms of library user experiences."
And in a world of BabyTV and Wii Fit, books may need a tech boost. "We are facing a world where books are facing competition," Mr. Stanton says. "I'd like books to be cool, in the technology aspect."
Despite their traditional role, librarians agree. "All this innovation, libraries are embracing all of that, with the goal of reading and literacy," says Ms. Smith.
But she doesn't fear being replaced by a computer.
"You will still ultimately need or look for (not just the social networking part of it) information from someone who is informed."
Jennifer Hollett is a broadcast journalist and freelance writer.
