"Electronic book borrowing is a convenient way for libraries to remain relevant, but publishers are worried."
Libraian's View:
"Some librarians object to the current pricing model because they often pay more for e-books than do consumers who buy them on Amazon or in Sony’s online store. Publishers generally charge the same price for e-books as they do for print editions, but online retailers subsidize the sale price of best sellers by marking them down to $9.99.“ ‘The Lost Symbol’ is $9.99 on the Sony Reader book page, and I just paid $29.99 for that for the library,” said Robin Bradford, the collection development librarian at the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. Ms. Bradford said she would consider buying additional digital copies if the price were lower. But “to buy nonphysical copies at the same price,” she said, “I just won’t do it.”
Reader's View:
"In libraries, readers are attracted to free material. Nancy Gobel, a dental hygienist who already downloads digital audio books from her library in Indianapolis, said she currently buys print books. But she is considering purchasing an electronic reader so she can borrow them for free. “I would still continue to buy, but I would download as much as I can,” she said. In many cases, she said, buying “doesn’t make sense.”" continue reading:
Libraries and Readers Wade Into Digital Lending
Published: October 15, 2009
See on the same shelf:
"The elusive eBook: who knew it would come with so many questions, challenges, and issues for libraries and users? It seems logical that we could catalog an eBook just like a print book, add a URL and be done with it. If only it were that easy! Instead, we are confronted by cataloging, purchasing, access, and interface issues. So what’s a librarian to do? Be aware, get informed, be vocal, and ask for more standardization from publishers, aggregators, and distributors. Let’s take a look at some issues that librarians and users find particularly challenging." continue reading
1 comment:
This is great information – its encouraging to see online education is becoming more widely accepted and the benefits are backed up by a range of studies. www.gurukulamuniversity.in
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