[WEB4LIB] RE: Books on Demand

[Daniel Messer]

>
> I don't think libraries are being cut out, unless they're doing it to
> themselves.  I'd be very surprised if a library's money for the
> machine, the royalty payments, etc, wasn't just as good as that from
> Barnes&Noble.

    To be honest, I think that libraries ARE being cut out of the loop. There's a big time
publisher, and for the life of me I can't remember her name, going after libraries much
the same way that the RIAA is going after Napster-like programmes. Her reasoning is the
same: "Why would anyone want to buy a book when they can get it for free at their local
library?" Personally, I think she's a whacko, but the problem is that she's a whacko with
money, power, and influence.
    Now is really a dark time for the public libraries as they are being assaulted on all
fronts by big business, politicians, and morons on religious crusades to save us all from
the dangers of pornography on the internet. I don't think the publishers are going to be
too happy with a library having any kind of print on demand service, even if they're
getting the proper royalties and other money for the books printed up. After all, if a B&N
printed up a book, they'd charge the price for the book and the publisher gets their
money. If a library does a print on demand, chances are it's going to be for a large
number of people.
    So the library just doesn't have enough copies of the newest Stephen King novel? No
problem! It just prints a few on demand, the publishers get the money as if only one
person bought it. But the book is being mass distributed to hundreds of people checking it
out week after week. And they didn't PAY for it!!! They're getting it free! And what's
that library going to do when the time comes that the new King book isn't so new anymore
and it's not as popular? Why, they're going to sell it on their used book rack! Thus
robbing the publishers out of MORE of their money.
    Don't get me wrong folks, I don't agree with anything like this, but I can see it
happening pretty easily, because the rumble has already started....

Dan

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Mondai wa
The subject in queston...
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Daniel Messer
Technologies Instructor
Yakima Valley Regional Library
102 N 3rd St  Yakima, WA 98901
(509) 452-8541 x712
dmesser at yvrls.lib.wa.us
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