Quote:
Originally Posted by Randolphlalonde
Libraries purchase one or more copies or, perhaps in the future of eBooks, the rights to them. Those copies are loaned out and after a time, they're taken back. If the work is good enough, a certain number of people (the percentage should be available from some publisher who did a study, I'm sure), buy them for their favorites shelf. I know a lot of people who actually still go to a library and, to my surprise, they all have a favorites shelf and it's pretty well stocked.
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Also, of course, in many countries, authors get paid (directly paid, the money doesn't go to publishers) when their books are borrowed from libraries, via the "public lending right". Not a vast amount, but a useful amount if you are a popular author.