The Bookless Library, Part Two

November 18, 2009

The e-book sounds like a boon for readers who like the convenience of downloading reading material in the comfort of their living room, on the road, or anywhere they have Internet access. But if consumers and libraries are no longer buying paper books, what will this mean financially for book publishers? It may be a brave new world out there for readers, but will e-books result in profit losses for publishers? The convenience with which patrons can download e-books for free may make them less inclined to visit a bookstore and buy an actual paper book. John Sargent, chief executive of Macmillan, said that his company does not allow e-books to be offered in public libraries for this reason. Simon & Schuster also does not sell e-books to libraries, telling the Times that “We have not found a business model that works for us and our authors.”

Some publishers that do sell e-books to public libraries have hiked up the cost of a single copy to compensate. For example, an e-book that can be purchased for $9.99 by a consumer may cost $29.99 for a public library to purchase, a turnoff for some librarians. As consumers become increasingly comfortable with new technology and seek free access to all manner of data, marketplace questions emerge that are not always easily answered.

New technologies are often hard to embrace, and the bookless library certainly requires some mental adjustment when you realize that we've been living with books for approximately 3,309 years now. Change can be unsettling. However, when you consider that a mere 10 years ago, many of us had never made an online purchase, checked our bank statement online, or shared the details of our life with Facebook friends across the globe, you realize that the human mind (which, after all, is what's creating all this new technology) is also highly adaptable.

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