Friday, July 19, 2013
E-readers
I have a Kindle and have checked out e-books prior to this assignment. The Missoula Public Library has pre-printed directions for different brands of e-readers, and the reference desk staff are trained and willing to give one on one assistance if needed. There are over 4100 fiction titles available for a Kindle. The biggest problem is that there is only on license per title, so only one patron can check a book out at a time. You can place holds and get on a waiting list for new/popular titles on the MontanaLibrary2Go website after you sign in with a library card from a participating library. With a Kindle after you check out a book you go to Amazon.com to download the e-book, and it comes with a timer so that after the 14 day checkout period the e-book is removed from your e-reader and goes to the next patron waiting. If no holds exist for the title you have an option to renew the e-book, I'm not sure if there is a limit to the number of renewals for a single title. I like the e-book option, but sometimes 14 days is not long enough to finish a book if there are other things going on in your life.
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Would you agree the chief issue regarding the use of ebooks in libraries today is accessibility, namely DRM, licensing, and whether people without an internet connection can download one?
ReplyDeleteI agree that licensing is a huge obstacle and I think that legislation will come into play at some point. I went to ALA legislative Day in May and the ALA strongly encouraged us to talk to our legislators about making licenses cheaper for libraries to purchase. The ALA is warring with the publishing companies and they should do that bc sometimes digital copies are cost-prohibitive for libraries, but libraries have to be realistic. When the newest most popular book comes out, libraries don't usually purchase 30 print copies, they usually purchase however many copies is realistic and then they have to have patrons put those print books on hold and they usually get to keep the book for about 2 weeks. So, I don't understand why some librarians think that libraries should get more digital copies for less money -- and keep them for longer than they would with the print versions. It's a time of growing pains. The print book business model isn't translating into the electronic book business model -- at least not as it pertains to libraries.
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