Quote:
Originally Posted by whitearrow
The simple answer to the georestrictions problem would be for the libraries themselves to limit paid memberships to those who live within the licensed area for their ebooks.
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I'm not sure the problem exists as a practical matter. Libraries are major publisher customers. And, unlike Amazon, libraries don't demand sweetheart deals. So the risk of publishers suing libraries isn't that great.
As I understand it, the georestrictions for an eBook concern where you are when you borrow the book. This means that if libraries were really supportive of georestrictions, they wouldn't let patrons borrow when visiting abroad. And abroad doesn't mean overseas; Canada is a short bus ride from Detroit, and Americans in Buffalo and San Diego can walk abroad. If it's a problem to sell a German a Brooklyn library membership, it's also problem to let a Brooklynite borrow an eBook when spending a weekend in Niagara Falls Canada. This isn't something a wise library staff will worry about, in my opinion.