Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeB1972
To be fair to the publishers :
Borrowing a pBook involves going to the library, finding the book, checking it out, reading it in the fixed time frame & then going back to the library to return the book.
Borrowing an eBook involves exactly the same as buying one but without spending any money.
At the moment it is far easier to buy pBooks than get them from the library.
Personally, I think you should have to go in to the library to check out eBooks as well - that way if your money is more important than your time, you can get library books like always, otherwise you can buy the book (And cut down on what is going to be an ever growing burden on the libraries as more people realise that it is as easy to borrow as buy in eWorld).
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I think the linked article alluded to that using the term 'friction'. Libraries want less, publishers want more.
Now that I have everything set up on my computator, visiting my public library and checking out an ebook really is as easy as buying directly from a non-B&N* source. The only real friction is the somewhat lacking user interface my library has for searching. That said, the hoops I had to go through to get set up for that library lending would put a circus animal act to shame.
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The only advantage I get with the B&N source is not having to physically connect my device.