The costs of ebooks

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The costs of ebooks

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12wonderY
Out 31, 2019, 3:19 pm

From Vice News today
I'd like to copy the entire article here, but I won't. But thought I'd like to get a discussion started.

One of America’s Largest Publishers Is Screwing Over Libraries

Macmillan, one of America’s biggest publishers, is putting an embargo on all its new ebooks. Starting November 1, libraries will have to wait eight weeks before they’re allowed to purchase digital copies of Macmillan's new books. Select libraries in select markets will be allowed to purchase one copy.

The American Library Association (ALA)—a nonprofit organization that promotes libraries and education—is leading a campaign against Macmillan’s new embargo. It’s called ebooksforall, and its petition has more than 160,000 signatures at the time of writing. Macmillan is the only publisher proposing this change so far, but the other big four—Hachette, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins—are certainly watching.

2DanieXJ
Editado: Out 31, 2019, 8:15 pm

All I know is that this letter: https://d1x9nywezhk0w2.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/29160131/A-Lett... That was posted by the CEO of Macmillan is wrong. Literally almost all he says he has either misinterpreted from what librarians told him (at the '35 libraries', yeah, did they go to the little ones, or like, Boston, NY, San Fran, Seattle, etc.?? Ugh).

Over and over there have been articles, studies, whatever, that have shown that when people can get books out from the library they're more like to buy books too, not less.

Honestly, I hope that this kills Macmillan, I mean, I know it won't. Publishers never ever have liked libraries, (which is stupid, but, whatever) and so, when ebooks came, they saw an in to change everything.

There are ideas out there how to bring back lending and put it into the eBook space. And, they're not even just 'the library is the only party that wins and the publishers get screwed' ideas. They're good. I went to a two day workshop with Kyle K. Courtney from Harvard Law (and a librarian), and, he and those he works with have awesome ideas, but....

Heck, if Elsevier can get their heads out of their butts and actually on occasion have contracts that lets an author keep copyright for their classroom use, or professional use, can't these big publishers get over themselves and work with librarians instead of talking down to us??

I will end this with, I apologize >1 2wonderY: for the rant. I've been going to the library, literally since hours before I was born (I wasn't born in one, it was in a hospital, but, I was there that morning still unborn :)) I would have to spend something like 4-5 thousand dollars a year for the books, movies, TV shows, on occasion the fantasy baseball or football issue of Sports Illustrated that I get out of the library.

I understand that this Macmillan CEO thinks that by making it harder to get the Macmillan books at the library for months that people will go out and get annoyed and 'just buy it'. I know library people, a lot of them, I live with some of them, and I work with all of them, and, I say this with 100% certainty (oops, had to correct that from 1200% certainty), almost no one will 'just buy it'. They'll do one of two things, wait or just take it off their list of to reads.

I really wonder if when the CEO writes that he talked to 35 networks or libraries or whatever he talked to fellow Library CEOs. Because, these days, there are two kinds of library directors, there are library directors who came up through the ranks and are actual librarians, and then there are library directors who are basically CEO Business types who are brought in to 'run' the place while others do the library stuff. That would be my guess. He talked to his own people, got a warped view of what actual public librarians wanted, and t hen was like, 'WAH? But, but, but....' when the backlash hit. And, I do love a good librarian backlash. Everyone thinks we're shrinking violets. Yeah, you haven't seen me use one word to shut up 5 teen boys who are a foot taller than me (the word is 'Stop', not yelled, just spoken like they're misbehaving 5 year olds, and, it works 99.9% of the time).

ETA: The ALA's response is on point too: http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2019/10/ala-responds-macmillan-letter

Oh, and, Vice is wrong about the Select Libraries in select areas. Every library network (and if you belong to an extra thing called Overdrive Advantage every Overdrive Advantage library) can buy a permanent copy. Then to buy more that's where the 8 weeks of waiting while the hold list gets longer and longer comes in. I mean, yeesh, if this was in place when the Comey book came out. There were something like 200 holds on the ebook, so, one copy for 200 holds, three weeks for each person. You maybe get to the third person on hold before the windowing is over. 8 weeks later and three people have read the book you've bought??... not good.