Thread: Why e-books, e-audiobooks could be harder to snag at your local library
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Old 07-05-2019, 12:52 AM   #63
DNSB
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crane3 View Post
I have never seen anything like more than 2 copies available as in 1 kindle & 1 epub in the catalogue. Looks like perhaps the library have relinquished lending of ebooks to Overdrive? Is the limiting factor Overdrive instead of the library system? I don't think that the library system has the same method of lending ebooks as that of pbooks.
Not sure how Overdrive works with your library but here, Overdrive manages the loans/returns for the library. Basically, the library purchases the right to loan an ebook with the number of "copies", number of loans, length of the rights, etc. being up to the library, the publisher and the library budget. There is a cost for the library but it cuts their IT costs.

You have Kindle books in your library catalogue? Must be an American thing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by crane3 View Post
The (my) county library system should have available the same number of copies of ebooks as that of the printed books for lending to the public. Cannot understand why the restrictions on the number of copies on ebooks vs the pbooks purchased. Is there a much higher markup for ebooks so that the libraries won't purchase as many pbooks?
My local library will have more copies of ebooks that they expect to be popular but seldom more than the number of pbooks. Yes, the cost of ebooks is higher than pbooks and most of them come with maximum loan numbers and/or expiry dates -- 1 year or 26 loans and 2 years or 52 loans seem the most popular. After that time, the library gets to repurchase the ebook. By contrast, a pbook will be available until it falls apart and even then, they do have a limited ability to repair/rebind the book extending it's life.

Looking at the ebooks added in the last week, about 60% had one copy, 35% had 2 copies and the remaining 5% ranged from 3 to 7 copies.

By contrast, looking at J. D.Robb's In Death series, Connections in Death and Leverage in Death have 13 copies (wait time is 6 weeks and 1 copy available), the previous entries in the series have from 10 to 1 copies with Devoted in Death and Concealed in Death having 1 copy and an 18 week wait time as the longest.

Now to wait until September when Vendetta in Death releases and I find out how far down the wait list I am.
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