Quote:
Originally Posted by WT Sharpe
Bibles are usually made a bit more durable than the average hardback, especially the more expensive ones. Better quality acid-free paper, better binding, and real leather covers contribute to their longevity.
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Back in the late '60s I briefly worked in a book distribution warehouse pulling and shipping books. Most, if not all, libraries received such special printings/bindings back then. I'm sure that they paid a lot more than for the same book titles sold in the drugstores, but there’s no doubt that baring catastrophic damage those books are still useable.
So what do we have now?- Agency pricing.
- E-book rental (that’s what it really is) to libraries, increasing their costs over paper books.
- DRM
- Geographic restrictions.
Those pretty much top the list.
I don't think that the paper printing publishers are going to win. Instead I think that they'll grievously wound, if not kill, themselves.
In a world where the population of people who read, or even those that can read, is dwindling, I see very little hope for them. And in the end that'll hurt us, the readers.
The winners will be new authors (or those that keep control of their e-book rights), resellers dealing primarily with e-books, and used book stores.
Last year I bought only 3 books, of any kind, from "mainstream" publishers. Good luck Harper Collins, Random House, et al. And thanks for all the fish.