Quote:
Originally Posted by rkomar
I think a lot of this fight is over books that become social hits. Most people don't read much, but they want to get in on the water cooler talk around a hot book. Waiting for the window to open at the library and then waiting to get your turn in the queue is not going to work for such books. Hence, the librarians' gripes that they can't provide adequate numbers during the time the book is a fad. I don't know what leverage they have to get things changed. Maybe just hold back your money and not order many copies when the fad is over and the window opens.
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The eight-week window is only important at the margin, which is why I don’t understand why either publisher or librarian is willing to die on that hill. With or without the window, most borrowers won’t be able to read a book in the first week or two after it comes out, while it’s “hot”. Library patrons understand this.
Here’s a real-life example: Right now, Stark Library in Ohio has a waiting list of just shy of 1400 for two ebook copies of Prince Harry’s memoir, coming out tomorrow. I’m quite sure they’ll be buying more. However, it’s still going to be a wait of months for almost all of the 1400. A “window” might cause a few of them to buy the book, but most people, if they’re willing to wait, they’re willing to wait a little longer. Free is a very powerful argument.