Quite a kerfuffle has been kicked up this month by major publisher’s deciding to limit Libraries’ access to their E-Book collections – the sticking point ostensibly being that these publishers are concerned they will wind up taking an augmented financial hit when excited readers testing out this new technology opt to “borrow” rather than “buy…”
At the end of last year, the New York Times reported on the “E-Book Tug of War” between Publishers and Libraries – showing a side for the lending of e-books: *you don’t have to physically return e-books; *they never need to be replaced; *and they still only loan out one copy (or Adobe file).
But, with the recent news of Penguin Publishing Group pulling its titles as well – it led NPR broadast news program The Takeaway to an insightful conversation of coverage:
The Takeaway (from WYNC/PRI) – Stream/Listen: “Library Access to E-books Worries Publishers”
–and now, from – The Digital Shift: – “One Year Later, HarperCollins Sticking to 26-Loan Cap, and Some Librarians Rethink Opposition” Librarians are realizing that, though Harper Collins (the only major publisher still fully participating in the e-book lending market) implemented its 26-loan cap for library ebook lending (much to the boycott-inspiring chagrin of librarians across the country), it may have to be the best option to ease the tensions of the “tug-o-war…” -since, as The Digital Shift reports: “no other business model has emerged in the past year that makes more sense to the company…”
The “tug” is coming to a head, it seems, as the e-lending of public library patrons only increases in popularity, month to month. For a comprehensive report, check out Digital Book World‘s – “E-Book Library Lending Rises, Publishing Industry Grapples With Change…”
–To search FPL’s access to e-books and MP3 Audiobook files, visit the OverDrive Media library….and please let us know if there’s anything we can do to help you enter the world of E-Book reading.
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FADL Observer: Ferndale Area District Library 