Inside Outdoor Winter 2017

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Lend a Hand, or a Backpack
Editor’s Letter
Martin Vilaboy
Editor-in-Chief
Percy Zamora
Art Director
Ernest Shiwanov
Editor at Large
Berge Kaprelian
Group Publisher
Rene Galan
Account Executive
Miki Takeuchi
Digital Media
Jennifer Vilaboy
Production Director
Beka Publishing
Berge Kaprelian
President and CEO
Neil Ende
General Counsel
Jim Bankes
Business Accounting
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For sure, lots of businesses and organizations have been forced to
re-evaluate business models or rethink value propositions in order to keep
pace with today’s digital lifestyle. Among them, few have felt the impact of
digital disintermediation more so than bookstores. Much the same can be
said about public libraries, which have seen e-books devalue the stacks that
once sat at the center of their appeal. Rather than shutting their doors,
however, our nation’s libraries are making adjustments to remain relevant.
An early example is Internet access, a service libraries starting offer-
ing some years ago to those who lack the resources to have a connection
or computer at home. More recently, libraries have creatively added to the
items they lend out.
Branches of the Mesa Public Libraries in Arizona, for instance, have
started a “Stuffbrary” program through which cardholders can check out
items ranging from power tools and medical equipment, such as activity
trackers and blood pressure monitors, to hotspot devices, sporting goods
equipment, musical instruments and cookware. There is even a seed program
whereby gardeners promise to donate back seeds from the edible plants
and herbs they’ve grown at the end of the season. Most of the items in the
program are donated to the libraries by area businesses and charities.
The idea is to provide cardholders with the ability to try out more
expensive items before they decide on a final purchase or to borrow items
they need only infrequently. It all makes perfect sense to Mesa librarian
Kate Griffin, who jokes that libraries are “the original sharing economy.”
For outdoor retailers, a donation to their local library provides a way to
introduce consumers to activities that can have relatively expensive startup
costs or put gear in front of folks who were previously unaware of certain
outdoor opportunities. The possibilities include “hiking kits,” such as the
one at Mesa libraries, that offer a lightweight backpack, trekking poles, a
compass, binoculars, and trail and nature guides; campout packages that
also include a tent, sleeping bags and a campstove; snowsports kits that
include boots, boards, googles and gloves; or even just a set of headlamps
to explore a local lava tunnel. Product is usually supplemented with
information on how to get started.
In addition to the customer acquisition capabilities, partnerships with
a local library also provide outdoor retailers with a way to utilize underused
rental gear, move over-marked-down inventory or put those slightly (albeit
suspiciously) used returned items to some work.
Currently in the U.S. there are about 17,000 public library branches,
as well as an additional 80,000 libraries at public schools. Collectively, that
represents a whole lot of potential, new outdoor participants. And we’re
guessing most of those libraries would welcome a call from local outdoor
retailers and manufacturers.
– MV
Inside Outdoor | Winter 2017 6