eBooks are HOT at your Library! Last year 14,036 ebooks were borrowed from the Thunder Bay Public Library. Over half that number (7,496) were borrowed in only the first three months of this year. Although they have been around for quite some time it is only in the past few years that eBook readers have become readily available, affordable and part of the daily lives of many people. In addition to single-purpose eBook readers, the explosion on the market of tablets, smart phones, net books and other portable devices we use to access the internet has made eBooks even more widely available.
Your Library’s eBook collection may be found by visiting our Web site (www.tbpl.ca) and clicking on “OverDrive” in the Quick Links. Then follow the instructions to click on the OverDrive image to connect with the OverDrive site. There is also an OverDrive App available for iPads, Android tablets, BlackBerry PlayBooks and newer eBook readers like the KoboVox. Instructions sheets for these and more devices may be found on our Web site.
Folks in the business of publishing books have been, to varying degrees, leery of eBooks, especially when it comes to Library eBooks. As readers there are many advantages to eBooks over paper books: they are easy to store and transport, easy to obtain and flexible and convenient in terms of re-sizing the print and in some cases taking notes and accessing dictionaries. From the point of view of publishers, eBooks can get to their readers faster, they don’t need storing or retail space to sell them. But, they don’t wear out either. Traditional paper books can get worn out, damaged and lost. If these books belong to a Library, and are still in demand, they get replaced. Also, paper books can only be read by one person at a time. eBooks have the potential to be read by many people at one time. Similar concerns were expressed years ago when audio books on cassette tape and CDs were emerging.
It is due to these factors, as well as more complicated economic reasons, that not all publishers are supportive of Libraries lending eBooks. In November 2011 Penguin Publishers pulled out of the Library eBook market, citing concerns over security (The Associated Press, Nov. 22, 2011). In March 2011 publisher Harper Collins introduced a model allowing a maximum of 26 downloads per Library eBook (Dan Misener, CBC News, March 9, 2011). After that the Library would be required to purchase another copy, if they wanted to keep the title in their collection. Other publishers not currently selling or leasing eBooks to Libraries include Macmillian Publishing, Simon & Schuster, Brilliance Audio and Hachette Book Group. Other publishers have inflated the prices of eBooks for Libraries. Allegations of eBook price fixing are currently working their way through the courts (Globe and Mail, April 18, 2012).
There are several groups in Canada working with publishers and Libraries to find a solution to these issues. As a relatively small market, compared with the United States, our country provides a forum where hopefully both sides can come to an agreeable arrangement which can then be scaled to other jurisdictions.
If there is a title you would like to see in our eBook collection, please let us know. As with all formats the Library lends, we welcome your suggestions. Please bear with us as we work through the growing pains of this new adventure in publishing, and Library lending.
Joanna Aegard
The "@ Your Library" Column appears in the Sunday edition of the Chronicle Journal newspaper. The Column is written by staff at the Thunder Bay Public Library. Library staff also write for other publications, and those columns will occasionally be posted here as well. This blog helps us share our writing with a broader audience, and provides our readers with a forum for feedback. We welcome your comments!
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