Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf
For an eBook that has a maximum of 14-day borrow time, we'll get 26 borrows a year. So if the library has 1 copy and you are #27, you have to wait more then a year to get it. Some libraries allow 2 or 3 days wait time before it goes back into the collection. So given that we can have an extra 2 or 3 days added on, probably more like 25 borrows. And some libraries allow 21 day borrowing for a total of 17 borrows per year.
I think most people stick to the default borrow period and that's whatever the maximum time is. Most do not know that if they borrow ePub or PDF that they can return it once they are done. So it'll just sit there with the unused days being wasted.
However, one thing they also do not realize is that once the eBook is downloaded, it may be on the computer forever. When it's deleted or returned via ADE, it's not actually deleted. All that happens is the expired copy is removed from the list. It's still sitting there in the Digital Editions directory taking up space.
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I find Philadelphia wait times very reasonable. They often buy multiple copies of books and people seem to return books quickly. I was on the waitlist there for a book and was #7 while I was #1 at my local library. I still #1 at my library, but received the book from FLP 4 days ago. So it took less than 21 days, the longest lending period allowed by my library, to go from #7 to getting the book.
I have had similar experiences with most other books I request at FLP. I can't access the library right now to check how many copies they have of that book. However, they are very good about ordering multiple copies of books they thing will be popular. I have received books where I was in the upper teens on the waitlist. I've probably waited a month or two for those books.
One thing this does bring up is the wastage of those multiple copies. For pbooks, once the book is past the new phase and they don't need 10 copies in circulation, my library sells the extras for more income. With the digital books they are stuck having all 10 copies forever.
-Marcy