Quote:
Originally Posted by murraypaul
The US is somewhat unusual in not paying authors when a book is borrowed from a library, most developed nations have some method of paying authors, either when a book is borrowed, or just for the library having it.
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Well, yes and no. The majority of countries that pay authors for books checked out from the library only pay *that country's* authors for the books checked out. I.e., if you check out a book written by a Dane or Australian from a Danish or Australian library, respectively, the author will receive a small amount from the library. If you check out a book written by an American or German from one of these library, the foreign author will receive nothing.
So it's more of a subsidy for the national literature, and not really a method of reimbursing authors.