Storm brewing: Library book pricing

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

My library will order 300+ copies of a book expected to be a bestseller; here's link to 280 HB copies of Dan Brown's latest: http://sherloc.imcpl.org/?itemid=|li.../dynix|1422435

In addition to the PB list, there are 50 e-books available.

I don't think ordering that many books annoys anyone who wants the book; even if you are the 2000th person wanting the book, the wait will be much shorter than it would be if there were only 50 copies available.

And I think that's what libraries should do; you certain don't want a library that only has books no one wants to read...even though you also don't want a library that only has books everyone wants to read.

I agree nobody will probably be more annoyed. It was a silly thing for me to say.

My points were briefly
That most libraries seem able to afford ebooks.
That ebooks may cost less per circulation than paper books.
While libraries should have books that people want to read, maybe too many copies of the more popular works could be seen as hurting an authors sales and lead to more popular books not being offered to libraries.

Helen

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

To that I would ask: how much is the average cost per sale for print and ebooks?

Follow up question: why should booksellers reap the benefits that you described, yet libraries be denied them?

I don't know personally the true cost per circulation of ebooks or paper books.

Table 2 of this report
http://www.haplr-index.com/SampleStandardReport.PDF

which seems to be compiled from statistics of 1672 libraries in 1999 gives the average cost per circulation as $1.90 -$3.77
It also states that the cost spent on materials, which I take to mean books is between 13% and 19%.

I assume that the rest of the cost per circulation, or more than 80% is made up of housing for the books, staffing, administration, etc.

As this report is from 1999 I would assume that ebooks were not a major contributing factor.

For ebooks I have seen reports, articles, and forum comments stating that some ebooks cost more than paper books by as much as 75% and that some ebooks are limited to 27 circulations before a new copy must purchased.

Assuming that this is true then worst case a $10 book would cost the library $40 material cost would be $1.48 per circulation. If half of library purchased ebooks do not have the circulation restriction or the higher price, then the cost could be much lower. I realize many books cost a lot more than $10 and the cost may be so prohibitive that a library cannot buy any ebooks.

I am sure that ebooks have some additional storage and administrative costs, but cannot think they are as high as paper books. Maybe I am wrong.

I do not think that libraries do pay more per use or circulation for ebooks than paper books, in fact it may be less. But this is not something I can say for sure. Perhaps a library administrator will chime in at some point

I don't actually think libraries should pay more if this is what you mean by benefits I described. But conversely booksellers cannot legally distribute the same book 27 or more times per copy purchased. I have read that even Amazon Prime pays for each ebook that they lend every time they lend it.

Which benefits did I describe and when did I say libraries should not have them BTW? I love libraries and have used them regularly for nearly 60 years. I just don't expect them to have the same availability of books as bookstores as I do not feel that I am paying the same amount for the books I get from the library even figuring in the property taxes I pay. Not saying it would not be nice, I just do not see it as practical or even possible. Maybe my expectations are too low. Maybe the $1500 I personally pay for property taxes pays for 100 or so books I borrow annually with money left over for roads and streetlights, police, social services etc. and that the library should have 500 copies of Dan Brown's latest.

Helen

[calvin-c]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Ebooks are not susceptible to theft or damage in the same way that paper books are

Slight correction-change theft to loss & you're right. I suppose you could say that 'in the same way that paper books are' covers the difference, but I think saying they're not susceptible to loss is better. Ebooks can definitely be stolen-and that's theft even if the library doesn't lose thereby. Theft pertains to how a person obtains property, not to how a person loses property.

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Which benefits did I describe and when did I say libraries should not have them BTW?

If the price of ebooks are jacked up because libraries can afford it (e.g. ebooks are cheaper to than pbooks to circulate), then they aren't really reaping the benefits of those efficiencies. On the other hand, publishers and booksellers are able to benefit from those efficiencies. That's a tad unbalanced in my opinion.