Why Can’t I Find the eBook I Want?
February 13, 2012
After looking through the many eBook titles available for download from the library, you might be asking yourself, "Why can’t I find the eBook that I want?" You know it’s a popular author, you know it’s a popular title, but the library just does not have it!
One of the main reasons may be that the publisher simply does not allow public libraries to buy their eBooks. Four of the "Big Six" publishers (Simon & Schuster, McMillan, Hachette, and now Penguin) do not allow purchasing of their eBook titles. MCPL is boycotting HarperCollins because they only allow their copies to check out 26 times before forcing the library to purchase a new license. Not being able to get the big publishers also means that any imprint that they use to publish their books is also unavailable for purchase.
The only remaining "Big Six" publisher that allows libraries to purchase their eBook titles is Random House. However, they are charging a higher price in an attempt to recoup their losses, which means more cost for the library.
Believe me, I know that it’s frustrating, but hopefully in the future, the publishers will see that it is profitable to allow libraries to purchase their title in the eBook format and the bans will be lifted.
Amy Fisher
Information & Reader Services Manager
Comments
eBooks
I love being able to carry my "book" with me where ever I go with my cell phone! If there was a way I - as a consumer - could have any influence, I would certainly love to have more information. I appreciate the current eBooks available, and understand and do not mind the concept that there are only a certain amount of licenses and I may have to wait awhile to check out my eBook. Please keep up the good work, MCPL! It is greatly appreciated!
I'm one of those people who
I'm one of those people who thinks capitalism has gone a bit too far when we're being forced to acquire titles from 6 publishers! I sometimes worry about the quality material being put out by alternative presses not being picked up by the library. Does the library make efforts to purchase e-books from smaller publishers? Do smaller publishers even have the means to offer digital versions of the works they publish?
E-books present us with a different format, but I think we still need to address some of the questions that arise when we're dealing with bound books.
Perhaps concerns can be partially addressed by the Digital Public Library of America?
http://dp.la/about/
I think we're living in very uncertain times, and I think the way ahead is anything but straight and narrow, but as long as we remember what we stand for and keep the best interests of our community in mind, I think we'll reach a favorable compromise with publishers and eventually find ourselves offering a wider range of content.
Thanks for posting about this topic, Amy. It's something I feel very strongly about.
-Amanda
Ebooks...Thank you very much!
First, I want to thank Amy for a good and informative blog posting about some of our challenges around ebooks. Thanks, Amy!
Second, I want to thank you for your willingness to contact the "Big Six" and voice your concerns as customers and as library users. I think sometimes the Big Six have trouble connecting library purchasing in their overall bottom line. They forget that library users buy some books, but they are much more likely to borrow. It is a matter of a certain consumer market behavior. The truth is that a library user will never buy all the book he or she would borrow. So, to cut off the library market thinking those sales are "cannibalizing" other sales is just wrong. In fact, libraries and booksellers came to that conclusion decades ago. So, thank you for being willing to write. Amy will be posting those addresses in a follow up article soon.
Lastly, I wanted to make sure that everyone understands how seriously we take the ebook format. In 2011, we allocated $50,000 for ebook license purchasing. In 2012, we increased the budget to $300,000! I would be shocked if we didn't see a similar increase in the 2013 budget. We are working as hard as we can to meet demand within our budget, but it is an uphill struggle. Rome wasn't built in a day...nor will our ebook collection be built in a day. Be patient and we will continue to allocate resources to ebooks as a high priority and as our finances allow.
Thanks for the support and thanks for using your library!
Steve Potter
Director of Libraries.
eBooks
I'm with Dana. I bet a lot of patrons would be interested in letting these companies know just how we feel.
eBooks
I would be willing to email the Big Six as a customer to voice my opinion. If you think that would be helpful, you could post the information so that the library patrons can contact the publishers.
Thank you,
Dana Charpie
ebooks
I too would write to the big six to encourage them to allow purchase of ebooks by public librarie.
L June Jones
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