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| Hearsay: |
Is the only thing standing between publishers and defeat the inconvenience of libraries? Would the industry collapse if it were just simple to borrow a book instead of having to get off your fat ass and go somewhere to pick it up?
Most digital books in libraries are treated like printed ones: only one borrower can check out an e-book at a time, and for popular titles, patrons must wait in line just as they do for physical books. After two to three weeks, the e-book automatically expires from a reader’s account.
But some publishers worry that the convenience of borrowing books electronically could ultimately cut into sales of print editions.
“I don’t have to get in my car, go to the library, look at the book, check it out,” said John Sargent, chief executive of Macmillan, which publishes authors like Janet Evanovich, Augusten Burroughs and Jeffrey Eugenides. “Instead, I’m sitting in the comfort of my living room and can say, ‘Oh, that looks interesting’ and download it.”
As digital collections grow, Mr. Sargent said he feared a world in which “pretty soon you’re not paying for anything.” Partly because of such concerns, Macmillan does not allow its e-books to be offered in public libraries.
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October 15th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Interesting – but I think much like the book shop, the library will remain as a gathering place around information, for the atmosphere, the quiet, and the guidance if nothing else.
October 15th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Mr. Sargent doesn’t have to worry, plenty of helpful people who know better will make Macmillan books available for free anyway.
Or not free, of course, just like the downloading from the library isn’t free, there’s that internet connection to pay for, so someone will be making plenty of money off it.
It really does look like it’s going the way of TV – very expensive cable TV.
October 15th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Curious that they only let you check out one ebook at a time. Must have something to do with copyright legislation. I would have though that owning an electronic version of the book would allow as many people as possible to check the book out, especially since the book automatically expires from a reader’s account.