Quote:
Originally Posted by murraypaul
Not quite the same as always.
For paper books, libraries can buy normal copies just like anyone else, and pay normal prices. And they can can sell copies they don't need to recoup some of the costs.
For eBooks, libraries have to pay more than anyone else, may not be able to buy books immediately, and can't recoup any of that cost later.
Not to say that either of these things are unreasonable restrictions, but they are clear differences.
|
There HAS to be differences. All the differences aren't bad. An ebook never degrades, never gets someone's cheeto dust or boogers on the pages, never has someone dog ear the pages or break the spine.
From the libraries pov....ebooks take up no space. No human intervention is needed to check out, check in and reshelf.
But the central complaint of the article was a popular book that had a waiting list. There is nothing new about that. When Harry Potter books were release, no library bought enough paper copies to satisfy the demand without waiting lists.
There is no "pressing societal need" for new release books to be instantly available to everybody without restriction...for free at the library.