It’s apparently a tug-a-war
Dec 27th, 2011 by Cathy Jo Nelson
Did you know there is a tug a war going on?? That’s right, and it’s between libraries vs. publishers.
Kindle app on three screen sizes (none of which are a Kindle) By Brian Sawyer, FlickrCC
Unfair Game. No Winners.
There can be no winners here. This is just another classic example of the new gadgets transforming the industry, but (imho) greed directing it. How is it that for such a long time, publishers were okay with the library model of loaning books when they were of the print variety, but now suddenly they don’t want to play nice now that books have added a digital model? As a librarian, I buy books for my shelves. When a book is popular, I buy multiple copies of the books. It’s a response to supply and demand. If the same were true (and eventually it will be) regarding demand for ebooks, I would buy multiple copies, probably even multiple digital formats. I am a consumer too. But the publishers seem to view me as the enemy. Grr, so unfair. I hate to tell them, and this is probably something they already know somewhere in the recess of their minds, but those who want to own books will continue to buy them, no matter the format. Refusing to provide digital formats to libraries is NOT going to win them any new consumers. C’mon folks, let’s all come to the table and work to create a successful model, one that works for publishers AND libraries, but focuses on the patrons/consumers, not how much money can be made. $$ is a byproduct. The bottom line should be the human by product. Period.
A request to those who unwrapped a reader at Christmas:
If you received an ereader, iPad, or tablet for Christmas PLEASE bang the ebook checkout programs at your local library. Librarians need to send a message to publishers that their industry will not perish because ereaders choose to “borrow” ebooks!!
