Re: Borrowing Ebooks Beyond A Library's Walls

From: "Chris" 
> On Mon, 8 Nov 2010, joseph harris wrote:
> 
>> [I am having some difficuty understanding this move by big publishers. Though 
>> it may be only in the UK at the moment, it will at least be being watched 
>> from elsewhere. For the sake of both the library and the ebook it is 
>> important the ebook is offered by libraries. As the Guardian writer says, it 
>> makes no sense to force people to go to the physical building to download; 
>> especially as it offers no further protection to the publisher.]
> 
> A simplistic view from a borrower notes that there is a common trade-off -- 
> wait to get it from the library, or buy it now at the book store. How much do I 
> really want this work???? Elending offers the possibility of everyone being 
> able to instantly borrow the work, with no waiting. Why buy?

I doubt generally lending is much different in print or ebook. It has been actinve in libraries her for years, as in the US, I've not heard of it being more or less impacting on sales than print.

> 
> Of course, this ignores the financial side, something of which I am completely 
> ignorant. I have heard mention that when books are borrowed at the library, 
> fees flow back to authors and publishers, but I know none of the details.

Where the is a PLR [UK], or something similar, the payments to authors against no. of borrowings are modest, and designed to help the middle range authors.

> 
> That said, perhaps a closer look at those fees may explain what is going on 
> here. If the financial benefit is significantly higher for a single sale than 
> several "digital lends", then this action makes sense. Allowing unlimited 
> e-lends (something that is quite possible) might result in lower returns. (Of 
> course, this ignores the fraction who won't pay for it, won't wait for it, and 
> just go home and watch television.)

Fun ideas ;-), but not really like the reality of the business.

> 
> One other key factor - do library lends count against the bestseller numbers? 
> Does converting sales to lends - even if it is better financially in the 
> short term - cut off the supply of "top ten list" media coverage?

I have never heard of borrowings being counted for bestseller numbers, and I don't think elending affects the buying market.

Joseph


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