[applewine]

So when I buy a paper book there are terms that say I can't put it in a shared library? When libraries buy printed books do they buy copies with special terms and conditions that cost more?

The way e-books are right now is you pay by the titles you "borrow" and belonging to such a library like Amazon or Barnes and Noble costs almost as much as if you bought all the books you borrowed.

The way it works is that Amazon has a library and when you want to read a book you "buy" a virtual copy that will sit in their library always waiting for you. You can read that book whenever you want as long as that library exists. However, if you just bought that book instead and put it in your personal library it would have cost you only a little more, or maybe even less if you get a used copy.

You either accept the payment model for the shared libraries which is based on the number of books you check out, or you reject that idea and would rather just buy the book.

If you think about it what amazon e-books are is just a library membership with fees based on the specific books you check out rather than a flat rate.

The "problem" (if it is one) is that this is in-between two models. With music services like Rdio you can listen to whatever you want for a flat rate. They don't have different prices for different songs and charge fees based on individual titles. The upside is the low price and unlimited listening and the downside is the moment you stop paying you are no longer a member of their library.

With Amazon and Barnes and Noble you are always a member as long as the library exists, or as long as you don't do something that makes them kick you out.

You could run the exact same model with e-book libraries like Amazon and Barnes and Noble using paper books. If you think of it like that you will see what the model is really doing.