E-books & Libraries of The Future . . .
Most folks know what "going to the library" means.
Thing is, that phrase carries different meanings for different people.
Many go to the library to take out books; some to upload e-books, some to meet a sweetheart, some to find a quiet place to rest from the stress of homelessness…
I've looked at libraries a few different ways in previous posts. Here are a few:
Libraries Weathering The Storm In Publishing
Should We All Self-Publish A Book?
Been To Your Local Library Lately?
However, not all is well with the relationship between legacy publishers and libraries…
Take this recent excerpt from a post on DailyTech:
"Last month, Random House announced that it would be making some changes to the way it sells e-books to libraries, including price increases. But libraries didn't expect cost boosts as high as 300 percent, where no titles are offered under $25. Some even go as high as over $100 per title."
The piece goes on to say:
"…Hachette and Macmillan have only made part of their list of e-book titles available to libraries, HarperCollins puts a 26-use expiration on its library e-books, and others like Simon & Schuster and Penguin don't even let libraries lend out their e-books."
One particular institution, the Vancouver Public Library, has mounted a special campaign to deal with All the changes happening in the publishing world, one which draws on the thoughts and feelings of their patrons—Free-For-All ~ Reimagining Your Library.
If you'd like an in-depth take on a modern's library's issues, check out this article in The Tyee, Libraries of the Future!
Do you still use a local library?
Do you have fond memories of a library?
Do you think libraries will be able to sustain their operations with all the current changes in the Book World?
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Tagged: E-book, ebook, HarperCollins, Libraries, library, publishing, Random House, Vancouver Public Library
