The Panorama Project, the OverDrive-funded cross-industry initiative chartered to drive “data-informed insights on public libraries’ role in the publishing ecosystem” has announced the appointment of Daniel Albohn as the new Project Lead. Albohn takes over from Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, who has taken a full-time position as Chief Content Officer at upstart service provider LibraryPass. In a blog post, Panorama organizers say Albohn has ably “taken the baton” from Gonzalez, and praised Gonzalez for his work with the organization.

“Through the leadership of Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, Panorama’s highly engaged advisory council, and multiple other contributors, there have been productive conversations about and recognition of the role and impact of public libraries on discovery and sales of books,” the blog post reads, noting the recent publication of a new toolkit to help libraries “communicate the monetary value of their marketing efforts to publishers, and the fielding of an expansive consumer survey, Immersive Media & Reading 2020.

The immersive reading survey, which explores the book's place in the larger media ecosystem and and how purchasing or borrowing decisions are impacted by engagement with other immersive media, will be previewed during a free webinar set for November 5, at 1:00 PM EST, during which members of Panorama’s Consumer Research Committee will share initial takes on the data ahead of the December release of the full study.

Albohn, meanwhile, brings a strong skillset to his new role. He joins Panorama after 18 years at Sony, where he led Global Business Development and launched reading devices and services including Sony’s Reader and Digital Paper.

“Industry veterans know Dan from his early work forging Sony's relationships with executives and thought leaders throughout the publishing community and his engagement with trade, professional, academic and newspaper publishers, libraries, bookstores, authors and other providers of services to the publishing sector,” Panorama officials said in announcing his appointment. “During his six-year campaign for Sony’s Digital Paper, Dan worked extensively with professional societies, journal publishers, academic and law librarians, as well as the US House of Representatives and The United Nations.”

Albohn can be reached via email at projectlead@panoramaproject.org.