Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
Is that $106 for a limited time period, or one with a limited number of loans, or is it an "eternal" licence? If it's the latter, it's probably justified by the fact that library users (if my own library is anything to go by) tend to be rather hard on books, and a popular paper book will have to be replaced at relatively frequent intervals, particularly if it's a paperback. Ebooks do not degrade.
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For some publishers, the higher rate is only for a limited time (such as peak demand). Once a book has been released for a while, the price will go down dramatically. Also, depending on the publisher, the price charged is for a permanent license but others provide license on a temporary basis (i.e. for a certain number of checkouts or a certain time period).
I still find the pricing troubling though. Libraries aren't charged a much higher price for new release p-books. Often, they receive a discount. Libraries are on such a limited budget as it is. The high prices for e-Books makes it so much harder to fill demand. P-books that don't have a waiting list at all will have a waiting list for the e-Book because libraries just can't afford to buy as a many copies (despite the clear demand).