eBook Prices - Is it just me…

[Micah Sweet]

First, that would violate the contract the library signed. Even if they did not mind the ethical issue, libraries do not get an electronic copy of a title that they could duplicate. They license a certain number of checkouts from an authorized ebook distributor (like Amazon or OverDrive), who manages sending the ebook to a user's device and tracks the number of checkouts against the library's account.

A physical book does not have an infinite number of uses. Libraries regularly have to weed their collections of beaten up and worn out physical books. A physical book rarely survives 25+ checkouts.

Are you defending the megacorp's right to restrict how often the public library can provide a book for checkout?

 

[nyvinter]

Another thing to consider is how the library handles compensations. I can't talk about how it is elsewhere but in Sweden each time someone checks out a book, a small monetary compensation is reserved to the authors and illustrators and then paid out yearly. Without the lender limits and waiting-lists, a new Sarah J Maas book could potentially bankrupt the entire system.

 

[Rabulias]

Are you defending the megacorp's right to restrict how often the public library can provide a book for checkout?

Yes, because the libraries signed contracts, and good institutions abide by their agreements. Besides, it is the only way we get current and popular ebooks in our public libraries. Trust me, most publishers would rather have it where everyone has to purchase their own copy of the ebook instead of the library getting a discount rate. Is that the world you are advocating for?

Edited to add: Also, the "megacorps" are the rights holders, so they get to decide how to sell their content.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yes, because the libraries signed contracts, and good institutions abide by their agreements. Besides, it is the only way we get current and popular ebooks in our public libraries. Trust me, most publishers would rather have it where everyone has to purchase their own copy of the ebook instead of the library getting a discount rate. Is that the world you are advocating for?

Edited to add: Also, the "megacorps" are the rights holders, so they get to decide how to sell their content.

The world I'm advocating for is one where the most profit-hungry among us don't also get to manipulate the law-makers that decide how they can make that profit, and ideally also a world where knowledge of the arts belongs to us all.

 

[GrimCo]

I read on ancient Kindle keyboard 3g. Have it since college days, still works. For some things to even work, there is some computer magic involved that's in the legal grey area ( not well defined in national legislative).

I tend to not really buy, but borrow from city library. 7e for yearly membership, 5 ebooks/audio books per month available on 4 devices. It's more than enough for both me and wife. Also, there is official portal with free ebooks that are on the mandatory school reading lists, so free classics.

It's been ages since i bought anything from Amazon.

 

[Elodan]

Retired librarian - talk to your library. Email suggestions of titles, authors, etc… that you want to read. They WANT to hear from you.

That’s good to know.

I live in a suburb of Boston (MA). I did a search on Libby for some authors I recently read. They only had 2 of Simon R Green’s books and 3 for Adrian Tchaikovsky, 2 of which were the 1st and 3rd books in a trilogy, no sign of the 2nd.

I’ll admit the fact that I don’t “own” the book but rather license it does affect how I see the price ( I still have lots of DVDs ).

 

[Elodan]

I don't actually care about the whole "ownership" thing so much. I just want ebooks to be device-agnostic. If I had a e-ink device that could run kindle, Nook, and Libby apps for access, I would be happy.

Device agnostic would be great.

 

[GrimCo]

Device agnostic would be great.

Isn't whole point of epub format that it's device agnostic? I know that Amazon likes it's proprietary kfx ( and older mobi/azw) formats so they can lock in books into their eco system.

 

[Elodan]

Isn't whole point of epub format that it's device agnostic? I know that Amazon likes it's proprietary kfx ( and older mobi/azw) formats so they can lock in books into their eco system.

I thought other eReaders like the Kobo had their own proprietary formats?

 

[nyvinter]

They do but Kobo converts them to kepub on download to the device. So you can still download the books from their site as normal epub, never being lock into a specific device.