S&S Opens E-Book Lending to All Libraries

[AnemicOak]

In the US anyway, not sure if this is also in other markets or not...

As the American Library Association Annual Conference kicks off in Las Vegas, Simon & Schuster has announced that, following a "successful pilot program” in 20 select library systems, it will now open its catalog of e-books to all libraries nationwide.

S&S e-books are currently available through the 3M, Baker & Taylor and Overdrive platforms. Each title licensed by a library is usable for one year from the date of purchase, for an unlimited number of checkouts during the one-year term, on a one user/one copy model. Frontlist and backlist titles are available simultaneously with their print publication. In addition, Simon & Schuster’s e-book program includes a “Buy It Now” capability, with a portion of each patron purchase going to the library.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...libraries.html


ALA Press Release...
http://www.ala.org/news/press-releas...-ebook-lending

S&S Press Release (PDF)...
http://d1hbl61hovme3a.cloudfront.net...0Expansion.pdf

[Fbone]

That's good news. All the major publishers now offer their titles to libraries.

[subwayyz]

infoDOCKET reports that the pilot has ended only in the United States. A pilot in Canada continues.

infoDOCKET post has bunch of background including a timeline.

http://www.infodocket.com/2014/06/26...u-s-libraries/

[Xanthe]

So how much are they charging the libraries for that one book/one year license?

[JSWolf]

The good news is that two of the libraries I have access to were involved in the S&S pilot program so I got to benefit from it.

[stormcloude]

Am I the only one that thinks libraries being allowed to "license" a book for a year is horrible? Especially if they have to pay more than I would to buy it? Urg.

[AnemicOak]

The prevailing methods seem to be either license it for a year, a specific number of checkouts or pay like 5 times the normal cost and have it "forever" or a combination there of depending on publisher.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by stormcloude

Am I the only one that thinks libraries being allowed to "license" a book for a year is horrible? Especially if they have to pay more than I would to buy it? Urg.

Nope; you're not alone. I agree with you. In fact, I think libraries should post the prices and lending terms of the top books their patrons want. It's time the public sees what their tax dollars are buying.

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Nope; you're not alone. I agree with you. In fact, I think libraries should post the prices and lending terms of the top books their patrons want. It's time the public sees what their tax dollars are buying.

I agree with that.

[speakingtohe]

Average cost per circulation is AFAIK lower for ebooks than paper books. No additional infrastructure, no additional costs of putting the book into circulation, no leasing fees.

Many libraries lease copies of best sellers at a pretty high rate per copy. According to this article it seems that leasing is more expensive than buying.
http://muscatinejournal.com/news/loc...cc4c03286.html
http://lubbockonline.com/stories/112...12106030.shtml

Leasing a book costs $16 each copy and it is not uncommon for my library to lease 100 copies of the latest rage. The big advantage it seems is that the library will not be stuck with all of these books and nowhere to put them when their popularity wanes and the next wave of popular books arrive.

I would rather see my library buy 10 or 20 copies of an ebook they can lend 27 times for $100 to $200 than to lease 50 at $16($800) that they can only lend till the interest wanes or they need the shelf space. And they often lease 50 and often the interest wanes fast.

A leased book is in my library is always a paperback and the lease price is $16.66 even if the book cover price is $9.99 and there is a cost of $20 per copy just getting it ready for circulation my librarian told me. Does this seem economical to you?

Helen

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

A leased book is in my library is always a paperback and the lease price is $16.66 even if the book cover price is $9.99 and there is a cost of $20 per copy just getting it ready for circulation my librarian told me. Does this seem economical to you?

You mean they would save money by buying the book outright then putting it in the trash once interest wanes?

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You mean they would save money by buying the book outright then putting it in the trash once interest wanes?

Can't say for certain but it seems that way for books that cost less than $16.66 and my libraries all seem to have tables or bookshelves with no longer wanted library books for sale.

Helen

[FizzyWater]

Well, I'm seeing S&S books hit at least two of the ebook libraries (Overdrive) as of 7/1...

[stormcloude]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

I would rather see my library buy 10 or 20 copies of an ebook they can lend 27 times for $100 to $200 than to lease 50 at $16($800) that they can only lend till the interest wanes or they need the shelf space. And they often lease 50 and often the interest wanes fast.

How do you get 27 times? My library lets their books for three weeks at a stretch, which would be about 17 times people could borrow it before the "license" expires. And how many people here only read best-sellers? What does that do to the ebook back catalogue? Decimate it, I'd bet. Don't bother looking for a book that's more than a year old?

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by stormcloude

How do you get 27 times? My library lets their books for three weeks at a stretch, which would be about 17 times people could borrow it before the "license" expires. And how many people here only read best-sellers? What does that do to the ebook back catalogue? Decimate it, I'd bet. Don't bother looking for a book that's more than a year old?

27 times is a number that some? publishers allow the book to be leant before the book expires
Some don't expire. I am not sure who does what but I am sure it can be looked up.

According to older (pre eBook statistics) the average cost per circulation was between $1.51 and $9.20 for a paper book.
Sample report but lots of others available onlinehttp://www.haplr-index.com/SampleStandardReport.PDF

A $10.00 ebook limited to 27 circulations costs 37 cents per circulation plus overdrive fees. Seems substantially lower to me. A 20.00 ebook is still a fair chunk lower than paper AFAIK.

I rarely read best sellers and my library and other libraries I have looked have a lot more backlist ebooks than bestsellers. And acquiring more at a great rate. They buy/lease far more copies of bestsellers in both ebook and paper, but more individual mid range and backlist books.
And I haven't noticed any ebooks being removed due to expiration. I think if they are popular enough to expire the library just renews the lease. Your library may of course be very different.

Helen

Edit:PS how does 3 weeks change 27 times to 17 times?