Ursula K. LeGuin on Libraries and ebooks

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Laridae

Can we just summarize it then that the purpose of libraries is to promote Literacy, in all its forms.
Publically funded like schools. After all, who can argue with Literacy? It ranks right up there with Motherhood and Apple Pie!

I would disagree with that.

Some of the original Carnegie libraries included extensive recreational facilities, including billiard tables, swimming pools, and music halls.

And I think it's only been since the 70's that libraries started actually "promoting" literacy by offering literacy classes; prior to that, they existed to provide information to people who were already literate.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Konrath and Crouch talk libraries, too:
http://jakonrath.blogspot.ca/2012/08...libraries.html



Heh!
He wishes.
There are 122,000 libraries in the US. At $3.99 per title, that is just short of half a million per title.

A pretty good deal for most any writer not named Rowling or King.

As I said, the libraries need to reconsider their book acquistion processes.

Are there really 122,000 actual libraries in the United States? I can't see it
as there are approximately 30,000 towns, villages and cities. Included in this number are incorporated suburbs of other cities, bouroughs, counties etc. some of whom may share the same ebook lending system or not have one at all. 122,000 branches seems more likely.

In Canada with about 1/10th the population we have AFAIK 14 ebook lending systems.
This would equate to about $56 per book.

3. The library only needs to buy one ebook of a title, and then they can make as many copies as they need for all of their patrons and all of their branches.

Assuming the same type of systems are active in the United States and that there are 140 ebook lending sytems in place than that is approximately $560 per book. Going all out and assuming a highly unlikely 1,400 individual ebook lending systems (70 per state with many states having less than 2) will still only nets $5600 per title.

I applaud their sentiments (Konrath and Crouch) as clearly massive profits are not the motif. But I will have to see it to beleive it.

Helen

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

In Canada with about 1/10th the population we have AFAIK 14 ebook lending systems.

How did you come up with this number? Off the top of my head I know of 5 different public library systems which offer ebooks in Alberta alone (there are probably more). Do all the other provinces only have one provincial system? I was under the impression that the major cities at least had their own.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Are there really 122,000 actual libraries in the United States?

Yes, although I'll bet more than half are in and for elementary schools. See:

Number of Libraries in the US

As I interpret the link above, there are about 17,000 public libraries in the US, including branches.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

A pretty good deal for most any writer not named Rowling or King.

For a non-best-seller, depending on how you interpret it, the deal for the library may also be unattractive.

When an eBook is purchased via Overdrive, in some states (Maryland, Delaware), everyone in the state can borrow that book. In New Jersey, there are a few regional consortiums, including one for the southern half of the state.

Now, in my state, Overdrive collections are generally county-wide*. There are 23 libraries in my county's Overdrive system. That's actual libraries -- some of those 23 libraries have up to half a dozen branches, as does ours.

It's true that only one person at a time can borrow that Overdrive book, but with non-best-sellers, that's often enough for a county, or a smaller state-wide system like Delaware's. But I don't think that $3.99 is intended to be the fee for an entire state.

I did see that they bravely said they would charge $3.99 to the Harris County Library System, so the idea is not to charge separately for each branch. But even $3.99 for every separately administered library may be a lot of money compared to buying three or four Overdrive copies of a serious non-fiction book, and thereby cover a state like Maryland.

______________________________
* Except multi-county in rural areas.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Synamon

How did you come up with this number? Off the top of my head I know of 5 different public library systems which offer ebooks in Alberta alone (there are probably more). Do all the other provinces only have one provincial system? I was under the impression that the major cities at least had their own.

I came by that number through an article in the Yukon News when the Yukon library bought 150 ebooks and brought them online. They said they were the twelfth. Obviously dated and/or inaccurate information and I apologise. I did look up a number of City libraries in Canada before posting but obviously not enough. I could only find two in Alberta with their own individual catalogues so I am possibly out by a factor of three or greater.

Even so I don't see the great sales potential of short of half a million a title, although obviously I have been wrong before.

Sorry for the wrong/misleading information even if it was AFAIK.

Helen

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Yes, although I'll bet more than half are in and for elementary schools. See:

Number of Libraries in the US

As I interpret the link above, there are about 17,000 public libraries in the US, including branches.

Well thanks for the link. I am actually bizarrely interested in that kind of thing. I assumed a much higher number of public libraries.

Helen