eBook Business Models: A Scorecard for Public Libraries - Zunia.org - 1 views
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Maggie Verster on 14 Feb 13"Unlike a printed book, a single copy of an ebook could potentially be read by many users simultaneously, from any location. Thus, a major concern of publishers is that ebook borrowing from libraries will be so easy as to erode sales to readers. To counter this, many publishers insist on terms that replicate aspects of print book lending. Some of these terms may be necessary and tolerable, at least temporarily, to offset perceived risks in selling ebooks to libraries. Others, such as requiring patrons to come to the library to check out ebooks, will be onerous to patrons and damaging to perceptions of library service. With today's rapidly changing business environment for ebooks, the choices that libraries make today can have profound impact on the direction taken by the entire reading ecosystem. It is thus of utmost importance that these choices be made with careful consideration of the needs of both present and future users. Decisions are best made in the context of an informed community and never in isolation."