waiting list at library...for an e-book?

[superboyac]

An e-book is digital.
A public library offers books for free to users.
Why is there a waiting list?  If 10 people want the e-book and the library has it, all ten can get it!  No need for restrictions, it's digital!
http://www.journalga...308059942/1002/local

Since the library can lend out only one copy of an e-book at a time, it would be cost-prohibitive to order multiple copies, Witwer said. That’s why many who go online to borrow an e-book discover there’s a waiting list.

“It’s not the same as with physical books,” she said.

Not to turn it into a debate, it's just silly sounding.  It's like, because before we had the physical limitation that restricted the number of users, for some reason that limitation is actually a desirable feature that needs to be retained throughout all time?  Why don't we use a telegraph while we're at it?  This is stupid, stupid stuff people.  What do I expect...same ol story.

[superboyac]

So the publishers raise the e-book pricing to the libraries to limit the borrowing.
Fewer people get to read the book.
Less access to knowledge than before the price increase.
You can say if a lot of this happens, it leads to artificial inflation.  There was no real reason for the price increase except to prevent use, which in this case is just people who want to read a book from a library.
People like me will complain.
Complaints will have to be dealt with (Time, money).  Worse case scenario, it becomes a legal battle (much more time and money).
New laws are created.  More complications in life. This type of law is usually difficult to understand due to its ridiculous nature.

So in a sense, new technology led to a shittier life.  Great.  Then, the uneducated will blame the technology for this.  Technology is not the problem!  It's the people who won't allow the technology to just do what it does...it's there to be used freely.  It's an idea out in the open.  What now?  When are the restrictions on ideas going to get implemented?

[IainB]

...“It’s not the same as with physical books,” she said.

-superboyac (August 16, 2012, 09:02 AM)

This probably makes sense, though of course they seem to have set things up in such a way as it is just the same as physical books.    
The difference is that you don't have to visit the library to pick the book up, and you are probably in an "electronic queue" for the e-book, so all you need do is patiently wait your turn.

The library has apparently only purchased one licence, so that's all they can lend out, at a time - i.e., one copy of the e-book. Yay! Brilliant.

It's not just silly-sounding, it's moronic IMO.

I think this point (lending library restrictions by copyright/licence) was already covered in at least one of several discussions in the DC forum covering e-books/Amazon/publishing/copyright constraints.
This is the sort of thing that could presumably make some people go and get a pirated copy...which is what copyright restrictions were supposed to avoid, I guess.
Hmm...something seems not quite right there.
Ah well, SNAFU. Greed and unintended consequences.

[IainB]

People like me will complain.

-superboyac (August 16, 2012, 09:08 AM)

Good luck with that. Fat lot of good it may do you.

[superboyac]

People like me will complain.

-superboyac (August 16, 2012, 09:08 AM)

Good luck with that. Fat lot of good it may do you.

-IainB (August 16, 2012, 09:29 AM)

seriously...

[wraith808]

Truthfully, I sort of agree with it.  You have to buy (or be donated) licenses, just like you have to buy physical copies.  I know there's a lot of problems with digital vs. physical, and silly limitations (and pricing) being carried between medium.  But I think that using a license per user isn't one of them.

[Stoic Joker]

Depends on the delivery mechanism ... Sure superficially it's completely retarded because there is no way to actually "return" your "copy". However if they are using some type of date limited encryption which (time bombs) renders said "copy" of the book unreadable at the "expiration" date ... Well ... Now you have valid time slots where the book can be deemed as returned to be reissued to whom ever is next.

[wraith808]

^ I thought that was the way that most of these worked.  I know at our local library, that's the way that it does work- with a time-limited license.  We like borrowing that way for my daughter because we don't have to worry about taking it back, nor late fees.  And they have a pretty deep well of books to draw from- the e-book distribution is handled at a (partial) state level rather than at a library level.  So you're actually more likely to find the books digitally than physically- at least if it's available at all.  This really helps in small town libraries.

The only bad thing is that only certain titles can be returned before they expire, limiting your ability to check books out.  Those kinds of books are a problem for my daughter because she reads voraciously.  But it's still quite convenient.

[Stoic Joker]

^ I thought that was the way that most of these worked.

-wraith808 (August 16, 2012, 11:32 AM)

Really? Shit... I was just guessing out loud. I ain't been to a library in years.

How locked down are the files? can you copy/print stuff etc.?

[f0dder]

Gotta love DRM.

[tomos]

http://www.unshelved.com/2012-8-13

waiting list at library...for an e-book?


edit/ it's well worth reading the folowing couple of days as well ;-)

[wraith808]

^ I thought that was the way that most of these worked.

-wraith808 (August 16, 2012, 11:32 AM)

Really? Shit... I was just guessing out loud. I ain't been to a library in years.

How locked down are the files? can you copy/print stuff etc.?

-Stoic Joker (August 16, 2012, 01:33 PM)

I don't know... she gets them on her nook, so that's not really a consideration...