David Lankes has made his book Expect More: Demanding Better Libraries For Today’s Complex World available for free download -- get your copy here. You can have it in any of these formats; choose the one that best fits your reading style:

• For Kindles (MOBI format)
• For Nook and Sony Readers (ePub format)
• For iPads and Macs (iBooks format)
• PDF
• Microsoft Word

Why is David Lankes giving away a book that's already sold thousands of copies?  He explains, "By making the digital version of the book freely available it is hoped that more librarians can use the book to engage their boards, principals, and provosts in a constructive conversation about the future of their libraries." Watch this 1-minute video introduction to the book:Lankes says,

... to thrive, communities need libraries that go beyond bricks and mortar, and beyond books and literature. We need to expect more out of our libraries. They should be places of learning and advocates for our communities in terms of privacy, intellectual property, and economic development. Expect More is a rallying call to communities to raise the bar, and their expectations, for great libraries.

And scroll down the book page to see the full set of videos that accompany the book:

• The Mission of Libraries: Expect More Than Books
• Introduction to the Justification of Libraries
• Library as Collective Buying Agent
• Library as Economic Stimulus
• Library as Center of Learning
• Library as Safety Net
• Library as Steward of Cultural Heritage
• Library as Cradle of Democracy
• Library as Symbol of Community Aspirations

Hat tip to Stephen Abram.