Quote:
Originally Posted by Elfwreck
Libraries are not the text equivalent of video rental stores or arcades. They weren't created so that poor people would have access to the new trendy entertainment; they were created as repositories of history and culture. Renting books for 2 years makes that impossible.
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I beg to differ: I would submit that, around here at least, libraries do both.
Recognizing the demand for bestsellers our libraries now stock extra copies of pbooks as Quick Reads - which you can only borrow for a week or 2 and there are heavy fines if you're late. This is where the new money is going. It's a great system and we actually don't mind paying the odd fine, reasoning that it helps to fund acquistions.
And let's face it, like it or not, bestselling writers like John Grisham eventually *do* become the Culture of the times as we know it!
And also, renting is fine with me - I just want to read the book, I don't need to own it. Renting it for 50 cents (indirectly through my local library) is a lot more cost-effective than buying it for $10 to $30, say.