Public library system in CO buying 10,000 books from Smashwords

610 Views 7 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Joyce DeBacco, Jan 11, 2013

Saul Tanpepper

Discussion Starter · Jan 8, 2013

A bit light on details, but suggestive of a new trend for library acquisitions which bodes well for indies. Keeping my eye on this.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/55375-10-000-smashwords-e-books-acquired-by-douglas-county-libraries.html

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This will be interesting to see how this impacts other digital libraries.

The thought we've been presented with is... when you buy an ebook (with tax payer money) you really don't have anything tangible to show for it.

Granted, the same holds true for any ebook, which is fine if it's your own money and your own choice, but when you're spending other people's money, are ebooks a reasonable "thing" to buy?

I think the whole ebook market is opening up a whole new set of questions and issues.

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Saul Tanpepper

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 9, 2013

cork_dork_mom said:
This will be interesting to see how this impacts other digital libraries.

The thought we've been presented with is... when you buy an ebook (with tax payer money) you really don't have anything tangible to show for it.

Granted, the same holds true for any ebook, which is fine if it's your own money and your own choice, but when you're spending other people's money, are ebooks a reasonable "thing" to buy?

I think the whole ebook market is opening up a whole new set of questions and issues.

Taxpayer money pays for a lot of intangible items already. In fact, I'd say most of we get for our money is intangible. But on the level we're talking about, consider the huge numbers of software licenses our public services purchase. You may be right, but I don't think ebook licenses will become a topic of debate in library budgetary discussions.

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mom2karen

· #4 · Jan 10, 2013

Libraries are already getting e-books from Overdrive, but they have low checkout limits and when reached the book is removed from the library's system. At least with the Smashwords books that probably won't happen.

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balaspa

· #5 · Jan 11, 2013

Makes me glad I stuck with Smashwords. I am quite a fan of libraries who are attempting to embrace ebooks.

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Joyce DeBacco

· #6 · Jan 11, 2013

Great for some, but speaking as an unknown author, my sales are almost non-existent at SW. Why are readers suddenly going to find my books at a library when they clearly can't find them at SW?

Joyce

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Saul Tanpepper

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 11, 2013

Joyce DeBacco said:
Great for some, but speaking as an unknown author, my sales are almost non-existent at SW. Why are readers suddenly going to find my books at a library when they clearly can't find them at SW?

Joyce

I think we need to look beyond our own personal needs on this one. Like you, my SW sales (or sales anywhere else) won't garner my books enough attention to warrant library sales...now. But it sets the stage for such opportunity in the future. Even if SW sales are nil, if your books do well elsewhere, libraries (via their patrons) will start looking for them, and if you're in SW, then the avenue has been opened.

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Joyce DeBacco

· #8 · Jan 11, 2013

Okay, speaking as a reader then, why will e-books be easier to find in a library than online? The same system of locating them is there--choose genre, then scan hundreds of books. The main advantage I see is when libraries also loan out e-readers to their patrons.

Joyce

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