Quote:
Originally Posted by catsittingstill
I would argue that providing books people want to read has a great deal to do with literacy promotion. To be any good at anything people have to practice--and books that make them want to practice reading promote literacy.
|
You are making a reasonable point.
Libraries, at least in the US, are in the early stages of what seems to me a major, even existential, challenge.
Whether it is seen as crucial for fulfilling their core mission, or just crucial to maintain public support, libraries need to provide access to recent best-sellers. And as the world moves to eBooks, it puts publishers in a position where they can take advantage of this by singling out libraries for high prices on the books they want the most. Print journal publishers have been doing this for a long time -- charging high prices to libraries and lower prices to individuals. Now, for the first time, the trade book industry can do the same.
At the same time publishers are starting to single out libraries for extra high prices, Amazon is directly competing with public libraries through its Amazon Lending Library. This could take away the middle and upper class constituencies for libraries, and I'm not sure they can really survive if primarily seen as poverty programs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrsJoseph
...isn't there a law against price gouging?
|
Someone please correct me, but I am thinking just the opposite. Wouldn't any attempt to regulate the prices multi-national publishers charge US-based governmental libraries go against international laws enforced by the World Trade Organization? Even if I am wrong there, forcing publishers to charge every class of customer the same price is politically impossible in almost all countries, and certainly in a center-right country like the US.
Question to any librarians on the thread: To what extent do public libraries based acquisition prioritization on the price of the book?