Quote:
Originally Posted by Sregener
As a heavy library user, I understand your perspective. Here's the problem. Say the latest bestseller comes out and your library wants to buy a couple of copies so they can meet demand. They shell out $19/copy (Amazon discount) and put 4 books on the shelves for about $80. It develops a long hold list of 100 people, but with 2-week lending for "new titles" the list clears in a year. At the same time, they purchase one e-book for $80. It develops a long hold list of 100 people, but with 2-week lending, it takes 4x as long to clear, except that the publisher has restricted downloads to 26 copies for the eBook and then it disappears. So they have to buy the eBook 4x to clear their list, or $320.
Now, as a library patron, of course I want everything to be free. And I appreciate and enjoy the convenience of borrowing eBooks. I dislike the limited selection and the long waits that come with it. But it is hard for me to say, "Hey, spend 16x as much on one eBook as a printed copy would cost." It is hard for me to look at the selection of children's books and say, "We could have a lot more new titles if eBooks weren't so darned expensive." So while I agree that eBooks are popular, and library patrons want them, I don't see how they are cost-effective if the library can't pass the costs on somehow.
Perhaps we could start a referendum in every town in America to raise funding for eBooks through a tax hike. But I doubt it would pass. So if patrons can't pay a fee and taxpayers wouldn't raise taxes to pay for eBooks, it means that every eBook means at least 4 physical books don't show up on the shelf. And over time, that will reduce the availability of information to patrons. Thus, as much as I dislike it, I'm willing to pay a small fee to borrow an eBook.
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I think you're making an error here. My understanding, from what I've read, is that TBPH have adopted a couple of strategies: One, which most of them take, is to price the library e-book at several times the cost of a paper book. The other, which is the Harper Collins approach, is to price it at a more modest price but with the 26-loan limit. As far as I've read, it is not a combination of the two.
Now, about the funding of e-books in general. My public library has 98 branches. Each of these branches has a section full of children's books. I don't have children, so you can cut all of those. The library has many materials in languages other than English. I use very few of those. Eliminate those. There are publicly accessible computers providing Internet access. Eliminate those. Hell, close those branches that aren't near me. Eliminate all those presentation series and after-school reading programmes.
Now, I'm being facetious. But, as that short, incomplete list shows, tax revenue is used to fund plenty of stuff at the library that I'm not using and am not going to use. I don't think it's unreasonable that some of it goes to fund e-books. I pay my money and see no reason why I should pay for things I don't use and be expected to pay extra for things I do use.