eBooks, Libraries, & Publishing

It's still an issue of availability, for one. The library only has so many digital copies or licenses, so just as in physical books, you may not be able to get the one you want when you want it. Or your library may not carry the book at all.

Additionally, some library lending licenses have expirations for the library -- with HarperCollins, for example, the library can only lend a book 26 times, and then the license expires and they have to get a new copy. No, seriously.

There's always the issue of "I want to be able to read it whenever I want" which is really the reason I buy books. I realize that with a digital copy there's no issue of "going to the library" vs. "walking across the living room to pick it up from the shelf," but yeah, I don't want to have to wait in line for my literature.

I'm probably a poor example for this discussion, because I have less than a dozen e-books and easily over a thousand physical ones. I appreciate e-books but I'm just not the type to switch media completely and permanently.

In Response to Lauren_Ipsum (#61900):

I think you're a pretty good example for this discussion - I feel the same way, and I have far more digital books than I do physical ones. It drives me up the wall that I have to wait in line for a digital book from the library when they essentially have an infinite number of them for the entire universe to download virtually instantly. Should that ever change, though, watch out Barnes and Noble. It would almost be the reverse of the distant past - libraries have an infinite amount of free literature (digital books) and bookstores have the super rare and expensive stuff (physical books).

In Response to Lauren_Ipsum (#61900):

Exactly, there is still the issue of licenses (and some publishers want to implement walk-in access, which means you'd have to take your e-reader to the library to borrow a book).
But the library as repository is instructive. In the near future we might see access-based solutions, like read-all-you-want services (a la Spotify or Netflix) for books.

At the same time self-publishing is easier than ever, writers can cut out the middle-man and buy the services they need (editing, layout) without being shackled to a publisher.

As the author of the Olympus Union ebook series, it costs me money to put my ebooks out. I have to pay for the distribution onto the four major sellers' websites (BN, Amazon, iTunes and Sony). I have to pay for an ISBN number. I had to pay to get a cover designed. Even had to pay for conversion into proper format (that last one I might be able to do myself, but the software would probably have an initial cost). So all of that said, if everyone stopped buying eBooks, why should I continue putting out books? I've got a full time job, so this is a dream on the side (much like how you started), but what about people who depend on their writing for a living? If what you say is true, then professional authors would dwindle to a trickle, and much of the quality reading material would dry up.

I'm not sure there will ever be true parity between electronic and printed physical copies of materials. Any e-book is still going to require a device and that device is always going to require power. More, the standards that device supports will change over time. How easy is it to get support for 8-track tapes or vinyl records, these days? Even more recently, how easy is it to get support for all 17 memory card standards? 8.25"/5.25"/3.5" floppies? Mini-CDs? How long until USB becomes outdated?

There is still the power issue, too. My 1st gen nook could go for a dog's age, but my Nook Tablet needs recharging a lot more often (from weeks to day or two) in exchange for it's increased abilities. We still use pens and pencils...because they remain the best tool for the job in some situations. I suspect books will be the same way.

Now the issue of 'false scarcity' that book publishers are enforcing with libraries? Well, books may survive, but the current publishing model WILL NOT. Just like many bands have shifted the primary earnings from music rights and royalties to merchandising and touring revenue, I think publishers are going to have to change their revenue models to survive. How? I have no idea. But one only needs to look at the current state of the periodicals market to see how things are going. Newspapers are disappearing at an alarming rate, magazines are becoming redundant and comic books are pirated far more than purchased.

One thing I think people undervalue is the fact that books come in a variety of form factors and styles...something that no e-reader will be easily able to emulate, ever. No e-reader is going to successfully emulate a large coffee-table book or art book. E-books also have to accommodate specific screen sizes, so many books aren't going to translate well.

I love e-books and read them more often than physical books, now. But I don't think that they'll ever eliminate physical books unless we see a quantum leap in what readers are capable of and unless the publishing industry experiences a radical shift. (Never mind pricing, which is a whole 'nother discussion).

An interesting question, but the research shows this is not going to be the case. People who borrow ebooks, buy ebooks, and in far greater numbers than people who don't borrow e-books.

Why do they do it? Why does someone pay $500 for an in game digital hat that had zero effect on the game? We don't know that, but e-books are being purchased. Perhaps it is because the reader is not replacing the book, but the bookshelf, covers are displayed in full detail and color when purchased. And people might feel that 1 week is not enough time to read the book.

Libraries and publishers have a symbiotic relationship. Lose one and we lose both.

This is a VERY interesting topic, and I know you have very definite views on ebooks from previous convo's we've had. I'm as interested in your take on it as I am in the topic itself. As a voracious reader, and a tech-geek, I personally LOVE eBooks. They have improved my reading life in many ways, and not harmed me in any way I'm aware of as yet.

That said, I share your fascination with this, and I think that like ALL technology there is a potential for it to be abused, and for unintended effects. Currently, I buy ebooks from whichever retailer is cheapest (and read them on the iPad using that retailers app). I prefer iBooks, but sometimes you can get the kindle book for a third of the price..so I buy that. There are some books I prefer to share highlighted text from easily on social media, so I use Kindle for that as they have the only good sharing feature I know of. There are other times I don't care about that, in which case I default to the iBooks app.

As I read a lot of reference books, I LOVE that I can highlight like crazy in an eBook and easily search them for parts I want quickly. This has been a HUGE benefit. The only DOWN side I've personally seen is that I now find myself buying BOTH the digital AND the physical at times because I love a particular book so much.

SO...with all of that said, HERE is the part that scare's me....Privacy and security. This article below talks about it. And it too, like all technology, can be used for good or bad or just for profit. This frightens me.

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB100014240527 02304870304577490950051438304-lMyQjAxMTAyMDIwODEyN DgyWj.html?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly%27s+PW+Dai ly&utm_campaign=761019f46c-UA-15906914-1&utm_mediu m=email

I don't know if any of this is directly related for you, but I thought you might like the insight in to how one fan uses this technology heavily and my honest thoughts on it.

Love the new site!

I use the library all the time for e-books, even if it means waiting for a time to get the one I really want. I rarely used it for print copies.

My issue with purchasing e-books it that you can't share them (even though they cost about the same as a paperback). When you purchase a paperback you can pass it along to another family member but with e-books you have to pass the whole e-reader, leaving you with nothing to read with.

Oh, now you've gone and done it: eBooks. This discussion that never ends, as far as librarians are concerned. You can follow along, plus learn more about librarians than you probably ever wanted to know, by subscribing to the American Library Association's weekly newsletter: http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/aldirect

As a digital librarian, my $.02 is the same as every other digital librarian: if you truly love something, print it out. Over time, you'll love a lot of things and they will all be lost unless you rigorously convert them to The Next Great Platform every 5 years or so. The rule of thumb is that 10 years equals obsolescence. Not only do you have to worry about the file format, the media goes obsolete, too. We've got shelves filled with cassettes upstairs that we might as well start throwing in the trash. Not only does no one have the equipment or the desire to listen to them, we can't convert them to DVD because of copyright.

Here's a pretty high overview of digital preservation, including a chamber of horrors!
http://www.dpworkshop.org/dpm-eng/oldmedia/index.h tml

The reason we have any collective past history at all is because people etched it out onto stone, papyrus, paper. This belief that anything on the internet is considered a source is the bane of academics everywhere, and one of the reasons real scholarship is on the decline. But I digress.

Love it? Print it. Love it enough to keep it? Buy it in print.

We've got some Sheldons upstairs in my graphic novel collection. You can thumb through them because they're REAL. Print. Always has been and still is the way to go.

I think the best idea for future libraries is that publishers would put the library books an a physical medium, such as an SD card. That way, people will be able to take out the card as they would a book, CD or DVD, and still only have one copy available. People would have to buy the book in order to view at any time. This also has the advantage of being able to be stored on a shelf to form a physical colletion of literature to brag about. People could make a copy of the SD card, but they can also make copies of Library DVDs and Photocopies of pages. Publishers would not have to wory about licensing and consermers would not have to worry about loosing there entire library from dropping a tablet, nor would they have to worry about lending a book relative, or even moving a book to another of their own device, without messing with licencing, copywrite, or DRM. This would also make the books cheeper for libraries, since the library would not have to take the burden of paying for books that it's members did not buy.

In Response to kellett (#61909):

P.S. So there is no confusion, I am not Dave. And I apoligise for my "there"s or any other spelling issues.

The major issue with eBooks and the publishing business isn't libraries, it's piracy. It's the same fight the recording industry is going through. And lest you think piracy isn't an issue for eBooks:

http://www.bing.com/search?q=torrent+.mobi&src=IE- SearchBox&FORM=IE8SRC

That's 23 million hits for information on torrenting kindle books. Libraries PAY for digital copies and would work out some sort of per use licensing fee just like the radio networks do for music, pirates don't pay anyone

In Response to pjarroues (#61907):

I have been buying ebooks since the 1996, when I got my first PDA. I love ebooks and being able to carry a hundreds of them with me wherever I go. I bought my first ebook from Baen.com They the best selection of science fiction and fantasy authors and ALL of their ebooks are DRM free. I can download them as many times as I want and I can share them with whoever I feel like. I have bought several of the dead tree editions so I could get the CD in the back that had all of the free ebooks and usually all the preceeding books in that series. They understand that their customers want to buy their books and don't make it onerous to have and use their books. They even have this cool option when you buy a book that lets you email a free copy of that ebook to someone to allow them to have it.

When publishers finally decide to stop treating their customers like criminals then things will change. People who steal ebooks will continue to do so until it is easier to get and own a leagl copy. Just like my MP3 collection, I pay to support the artists and authors I like. If I don't then they will stop making the product I want. It is as simple as that.

Dead tree books will eventually fade away (but not until after my kids are long dead) just like any format that is no longer needed. As techenology gets better (bigger flexible screens or projection glasses and contacts) will be able to emulate any current format and make it easier to maintain, use and own. Just as CD's replace records and MP3's are replacing CD's, ebooks will replace paper books.

Wow. Excellent points made by several of the commenters. What can I say that the others haven't already said?

Libraries have always been an exception to copyright laws. They bought one book and allowed many people to read the same book. E-books are just the same thing to a greater degree.

But publishing e-books is indeed a different kettle of fish. With more and more becoming available online, especially free, public domain works through Project Gutenbook, ManyBooks.net, and others, any new e-books have to struggle to compete against not just the current batch of books, but all available books. Copyright is increasingly no longer an advantage for authors, but a disadvantage, hampering the availability of their works to the public.

Things will change. Exactly how they change, I'm not so clear on, but it is obvious that the old business models cant continue as they are, and remain profitable.

Perhaps authors will be reduced to the status that online comics creators have, offering their work for free and seeking advertising and merchandising to make their money. Or perhaps authors will package their work as part of multi-media offerings, including music, art, and tie-ins to movies.

I'm all over the place on this issue. I'm a voracious reader, yet have resisted the powerful sway of e-readers. But I hafta admit that much of that may be a mixture of nostalgia and unwarranted prejudice.

Despite having spent little time with any e-reader, I have this notion that paper is easier on my eyes. But again, I really haven't waded knee-deep into the waters to know - I'm basing my bias on a big toe dip. Further, I like the idea that my paper books aren't constrained by all of the limitations of their digital brethren, but again, I'm basing that notion far more on suspicion than experience.

One tangent that I find especially interesting is how Kindle et al have worked really hard to make reading cool again. It's really common to hear (as with one of the commenter here) about people who love having the ability to carry dozens or hundreds of books with them at all times. But I suspect that many of those who do just that rarely actually find time to do much, well, actual reading. Having the latest blockbuster book on your Kindle boosts your geek cred big time, but are people really, truly reading or are e-readers a hip, sexy, svelte way of boasting that you might be engaging in some heavy literacy - after you knock out that next level of Angry Birds?

I notice a certain train of thought here, that books will always be available in libraries. I've been following the whole ebook/self-publishing thing for the last year or so as a outsider reading stuff online, so hardly an expert. I am also assuming that libraries don't just buy books in the store and put them on their shelves. So given that, if I am a writer who is publishing a ebook on Amazon (or one of the other big online stores) for .99 cents, why would I agree to libraries having my books?

I tend to believe that the desire to support artists (in this case writers) is strong enough that a reader will pick buying a book over getting it from a free source, if buying it is easy and cheap enough. If a author is selling a book for 1-2 bucks and it is as easy as getting it from the library website, I will buy it rather then 'borrow' it.

This may be relevant. The guy's blog is a good source of info for publisher/self-publish stuff, but he never seems to touch on the library angle of things.
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2010/02/digital-perc eption.html

From what I've read lately I think the publishers will start to falter because the authors will be leaving them to self-publish, or use other alternative methods to get their books out. I just have no clue how that will affect libraries.

I haven't been to a library since I got my ebook reader because it is easier to pirate a ebook then spend the 1-2 hour round trip to the library to get a book for the same free price. The one time I tried to get a ebook from a library was so complicated that I gave up halfway through. I've heard enough to suspect my experience was not typical, but it does make me doubtful that getting a digital book from a library is going to be as easy as buying it from Amazon.

I don't use libraries as much as I should for anything outside of research (mostly online or at the local university). My local library DOES offer ebooks; however, I've just never made it over to sign up for a card/account.

When I was given my iPad last year, I really didn't think I'd use it for books much, because I love the feel, weight, and smell of books. It turns out I was very mistaken. The convenience is wonderful, including the fact that I can purchase a book immediately after reading a positive review by people I trust for book reviews has really spoiled me. Sure, I'd be willing to check out a book if I wasn't sure I'd like it, or if it was a new author, but that's about it. When I enjoy a book, I tend to re-read it a lot (and I'm willing to admit I've actually purchased electronic copies of books I already have so it's easier for them to travel with me, as well as a few physical copies of ebooks so I have something for an author I really admire to sign).

I also purchase quite a few resource books. And that's where I avoid ebooks. When I find a copy of something that will see a lot of use--I need something physical in front of me along with all the other related books so I can bounce from a passage in one to a chapter in another, and then back again. Copies from the library won't suffice since I wouldn't be able to access them whenever they're needed.

I have no idea how the future of publishing will effect my book purchasing habits. There was a HUGE change the moment I realized that ebooks were actually quite awesome, but it it didn't change my views about owning books vs borrowing books from a library (although if it's an ebook, the word "owning" isn't quite accurate at this time). What I have worried about is the possible loss of used book stores and the inability to loan books to family and friends. Now you've added the future of publishing to the list. Gee, thanks.

Well another librarian here. One thing I would like to mention is that libraries have a habit of changing as needed. At one point we were the providers of information, then we became more like guides through the massive amounts of information that became available in the information age.

As mentioned before e-books do have limits. The only books that we can provide unlimited copies of digitally (and this includes audio files) are public domain books. Would libraries die out? I don't think so. It would be more likely we would shift to providing free services like being available to help you find titles that have the desired information, teaching courses on how to use basic new technologies (like how to use Word classes), and providing a space for read programs for youth and adults. The methods would simply change.

Besides, the SMART publishers would work with libraries. Give heavy discounts on books for putting links in the catalouges "Like this book? Buy it from us for unlimited use!"

I borrow books from several libraries as well as buying books at B&N for my Nook. At 4am, it is much easier to connect to B&N directly with the Nook and download books instantly than to get up, boot up the computer and download books which then have to be transferred to the Nook. That being said, I would most likely not be able to feed my voracious reading habit solely with purchased books, even from the "under $5" selection. The toughest thing about borrowing books from the libraries is lack of selection and waiting lists. From what I have read, libraries are being charged more for books in the first place and then are getting limited use licenses (restricted to some number of check-outs before having to purchase a new license). In addition, many publishers are just not publishing to e-books at all. My feeling is that it will work itself out some way and both e-books and paper books are here to stay.
I wish I had had an e-reader when I was traveling all the time. My suitcase was always extra heavy from toting around several library books!

In Response to librarypages (#61918):

Erk sorry for the double post but I remembered something afterwards and couldn't find the edit button...

There are libraries that also loan e readers! So libraries may loan those. There are still people today who do not own their own computer because they don't want it, don't need it, or can't afford it. So there will also be people who will borrow e-readers because maybe they don't feel like they read enough to justify an e-reader. So publishers may start creating their OWN e-readers that are cheaper that when people borrow them from the library go "Wow this worked great, I know this works with my library's stuff so I'll just get this one!"

If libraries delivered unlimited, convenient ebooks so borrowing was as easy as buying, then the situation would be just like the comic showed. However, by making libraries pay for the ebooks they lend out, and maybe charging extra for new books, they can keep the library model the same as now. For print books, libraries might have the book you want, and it might not be checked out. But the ebookstore will always have it in stock. If it is brand new, they might charge you for it or have a short lending period. You can only get the books your local library has. As long as they charge libraries for the maximum number of simultaneous available copies, just as they sell hardcopies, the situation won't change.

Before, the bookstore and library were both locations you had to drive to. Now that they are both online, neither has a convenience advantage. So really, nothing has changed except that getting books, from any source, has become easier. Now we just need publishers to stop fighting the move to digital (which they do via pricing the negates the impulse purchases that digital convenience encourages). They need to stop using DRM on purchased books, which only encourages piracy. There should be a lot of additional sales from the convenience of ebooks once publishers learn how to handle them.

Tor, the SF publisher, has just gone DRM-free, and the DoJ is putting a stop to the publishers' self-destructive price fixing. The publishers are adapting, or being forced to, so I think they will be OK after the digital transition.

I will miss hard copies of books if they disappear. What will authors sign at book signings? Where will they do the signings? This is what I most worry about with the move to digital. Maybe the paper books will become like a vinyl record; still available even though they are rare.

Hello! Actual Librarian Who Buys Things For the Library Here!

As far as the publishing industry is concerned, the role of the library in ebooks should be zero. Here's how they're helping make that happen:

-Libraries pay for ebooks "per copy", just like print. There's no owning the file and loaning out endless copies.(Which is actually reasonable from a business and copyright pov, but I just want to clear that up. The publishing industry is in no danger of Libraries paying for a single ebook and distributing it to a thousand people)

-Most of the major publishing houses, including Penguin, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster and Hachette will not sell ebooks to Libraries AT ALL

-Penguin is experimenting, in limited form, with allowing libraries to buy titles but only after they've been released several months to a year (No new bestsellers for you!) Libraries who want access to Penguin ebooks are also going to have to pay to use their special platform (which gets into a whole other kettle of fish with ebooks & Libraries which I'm not going to get into)

-Random House sells ebooks to libraries but at prices that far exceed the regular print cost (3 to 5 times more expensive than print).

-Harper Collins ebooks "expire" from the library after they've checked out 20 times, and if we still need copies, we have to buy more.

Libraries spend over a Billion dollars a year with the publishing industry. We pay for what we buy. People think Libraries get things for cheap or free. We don't. We pay market price and in some cases, as I've detailed here, we pay more. We pay sales tax. Libraries have a poor selection of ebooks because the industry wont allow us to offer a good selection. Libraries would like to spend MORE money on ebooks, but the industry wont take our money and wont sell us titles.

I just got my tablet about 6 months ago and I have already downloaded/bought 50+ books. I can now instantly complete my collections, and read whole series of books without waiting. I think there is a great future for e-books, but I understand that many people would rather buy a book and read it rather than read it on a tablet.

In Response to Davethebuck (#61923):

Books as a physical medium will become rarer as time and technology marches on. When was the last time you consulted a scroll for information?

Libraries have been embracing the digital media and I am sure it will continue to grow over time as Publishers work out a way for them. Its both good and bad for the Library.

At my public library, the books available as ebooks use the Lending system which only checks the book out to you for X time after which you have to check it out again if you have not finished it.

On the flip side, libraries lose numerous physical copies of books each year due to damage, theft, and people never bringing them back.

Ebooks for me have been a godsend. I read every day and generally go through several books a month. The physical books tended to pile up rather quickly and I hate getting rid of them since I like going back to read books.

Now I carry my "library" around with me. Its full of books that I want to read or may need. I go to the library occasionally to check out books that I am unsure of. If I like it then I purchase it for myself.

Wow I am going to be the odd man out here. Everyone just keeps on trucking about the ebooks, I do feel a little off for what I may say, but what the hell? Everyone is really kind here. Though I will admit I did skim because it would have taken me awhile to finish read the posts and get to writing my own reply. :3

In the beginning, I hated ebooks so much, and a part of me still does. I respect technology (though to me its become more of a fad than, you know, actually advancing society) and after awhile I saw the benefits of owning an ebook. The one major benefit is if you're always on the move, always needing to travel and you do you not want to carry a 600+ page book with you (I have before) as they can weight you down, then yeah having a kindle will help you out so much. So yeah, I get the advantages, but I still cannot get behind ebooks.

Call me old (I'm 23) but I prefer the book over the digital. I love being able to turn the pages, being able to actually hold it in my hands and read the print the way it was printed. Yes I would have to be careful and not damage the book, and I do my best. I keep my books as safe as possible and I hope to pass them on. I've tried the ebooks at my local Chapters and I just can't get into them.

As for the publishing industry and whatnot, I don't think it and following paperback books will die out completely. Someone pointed out that books may become like vinyl and I can believe that, though vinyl has come back a bit recently I believe. I just don't like how some people I've come across (not here mind you) just shout out PRINT IS DEAD, PRINT IS DEAD, like print was laid on an altar and sacrificed to the digital gods. So I believe there will be publishing houses for the real deal, just probably few and far in between. Or hell who knows? Books have survived the radio, television and the internet, maybe they can still put up the fight! I still see a lot of people going into bookstores despite ebooks being available.

Still, I don't like to worry about this kind of thing. I'm going for a small business course in the fall so I can open up my own bookstore in the future. I love books and want to work in an environment where people will come in and grab a paperback or a hardcover, it just feels more homey and comfortable.