Quote:
Originally Posted by khalleron
Seems the pro-inflated price arguments come down to (and I paraphrase): Libraries should not carry things anyone would actually want to read or listen to or watch - that's ENTERTAINMENT and the taxpayers shouldn't be paying for that....
|
Yeah, not so much.
It seems to me that some people are objecting to a specific subset of library collections, namely best-sellers, DVDs and CDs. But that objection doesn't really have much to do with Random House's price increase.
I for one have no problems whatsoever with libraries managing their own collections and assets. Libraries are locally-oriented institutions that are basically doing what their patrons ask, within the limits of the resources allocated to them. If the residents want 25 copies of the latest Stephen King book to loan out, and want the library to expend its limited funds to provide that service, then it's not a problem.
I.e. I see no reason to disparage the tastes of the public via library purchases, or to restrain their mission to "edifying the public."
The reason for the higher price on the ebooks for libraries is primarily because the libraries don't need to repurchase or replace an ebook after it's been checked out 25, 50 or 100 times; and the speed with which an ebook can be loaned out increases the number of times it gets checked out. The publishers also believe that on some level, loaning out popular new ebooks (their bread and butter) costs them some sales. Hence, they're asking more for ebook loans.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by khalleron
As to the argument that literacy is provided by schools and not libraries - that's absurd. Only if you very narrowly define 'literacy' as being able to read but not actually doing it.
|
The overwhelming majority of people learn to read in schools. Students spend hour after hour, day after day, year after year in schools learning to read. Libraries do not provide mandatory literacy instruction, they do not test students for literacy aptitude and improvements.
This is a good thing for libraries to do, but the fact remains that they are an adjunct to literacy training, not its primary provider.