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Originally Posted by speakingtohe
Books lost or stolen with no fines paid.
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Fines, where I live, are maybe 10 percent of revenue -- or were before eBooks. Also, being able to keep an almost-finished book, for a couple more days, at a modest fee, is a good feature for readers.
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Staff to shelve, reshelve the books and assist patrons. And then their are incidentals like janitorial staff, accountants and fee collectors.
Most of these items do not apply to ebooks. No storage costs . . .
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This can be good for the taxpayers, but not necessarily the libraries. And taxpayer benefit will be small without branch closings proportion to the eBook transition.
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I think progressive libraries are realizing these facts which is why we have so many with a good ebook selection.
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Brooklyn and New York have a much better eBook selection than Queens. That's good for people like me because I use the Brooklyn library to borrow eBooks. But the Queens library is more known for services to immigrants, such as learning English and help applying for jobs. I don't think that makes Queens less progressive.
Libraries don't have just one mission. And some of those missions, such as providing a place for children to do homework, require that employees and buildings not be cut. Even though I read a lot of Overdrive eBooks, I can't say it is all for the best that I be catered to.