4 ms·

I have gone back to using the local library a bunch. They have a 'request a book' feature that usually gets me the book in a reasonable time frame.

by davidw 1y ago

kjkjadksj 1y ago
And the book publishers tried to ruin that too. Get people to buy ereaders -> let massive libraries only have 5 “copies” of an ebook -> people shrug and pay $5 from the kindle store instead of waiting. Basically priming a generation against libraries. And then the ebook readers have these invented gripes why paper books no longer work for them and they must engage with the walled garden system in order to read. Some of it is truly pedantic stuff like “book too heavy.”
- bluGill 1y ago
  If I'm going on vacation a book is too heavy. But most of the time I'm not carrying a weeks worth of books that hopefully it isn't raining and thus I never open those books. Even when that is a real worry, I find that there are more free books around such that I don't need to buy them anyway.
- fn-mote 1y ago
  > Basically priming a generation against libraries. You have left off the abusive terms under which the ebooks are leased to the libraries.
  - breakingcups 1y ago
    $550 for perpetual access to 1 copy which may only be lent to 1 person at a time.. Yep, abusive.
    - xp84 1y ago
      It's even more gross in my brief research - some publishers will sell a non-perpetual license for about 3-4x what a physical book costs libraries, and that license dies after 2 years or 26 loans, whatever comes first: https://pressbooks.openeducationalberta.ca/ciicm/chapter/public-library-ebook-loan-limitations-and-licensing-agreements/ https://pressbooks.openeducationalberta.ca/ciicm/chapter/pub... The above source fits with what ChatGPT told me (the chatgpt info is otherwise unverified): https://chatgpt.com/share/682cffab-65b4-8002-8561-1b5842dc25d7 https://chatgpt.com/share/682cffab-65b4-8002-8561-1b5842dc25...
- deceiving 1y ago
  Ebooks are way more convenient than print books. Plus you dont have to go through Amazon's system if you dont want to there are serveral alternative ereaders (kobo, pocketbook, boox). Where are you getting inventing gripes from? Change font style and size is a major factor for many people along with weight. I started reading way more when I could use a ereader instead of print books.
  - Propelloni 1y ago
    I'm sure that's true for you and you are entitled to your opinion, in fact, I am happy that you read more. For me, I find paper books more convenient, easier to use, easier to make my own (I like to scribble into books), easier to read. They only lose in the storage department, but I've got a dry cellar. I own a Kindle since, I don't know, 2015, and I can count the number of books I read on it on two hands and I read about 30-40 books a year. The only reason to rent an e-book are imports that otherwise are hard to get or cost an arm and a leg.
- Jalad 1y ago
  The only gripe I have nowadays with libraries is that they don't have a specific book I'm looking to read But I found that it's possible to request books like that through other libraries, since most libraries have agreements with other libraries to allow interlibrary loans
  - Kon-Peki 1y ago
    Interlibrary loans are one of the things that the Trump cuts will kill. Typically, a public library is legally prevented from spending tax dollars to provide services outside the taxing area. This is a pretty reasonable limitation, but it does prevent the actual mechanics of operating interlibrary loans. It doesn’t really cost a lot of money - a van and a few part-time drivers can cover a pretty wide geographic area. But that money has to come from somewhere else. That’s where those federal grants came into play.

I have gone back to using the local library a bunch. They have a 'request a book' feature that usually gets me the book in a reasonable time frame.

by davidw 1y ago

I have gone back to using the local library a bunch. They have a 'request a book' feature that usually gets me the book in a reasonable time frame.

kjkjadksj 1y ago

And the book publishers tried to ruin that too. Get people to buy ereaders -> let massive libraries only have 5 “copies” of an ebook -> people shrug and pay $5 from the kindle store instead of waiting. Basically priming a generation against libraries. And then the ebook readers have these invented gripes why paper books no longer work for them and they must engage with the walled garden system in order to read. Some of it is truly pedantic stuff like “book too heavy.”

bluGill 1y ago
If I'm going on vacation a book is too heavy. But most of the time I'm not carrying a weeks worth of books that hopefully it isn't raining and thus I never open those books. Even when that is a real worry, I find that there are more free books around such that I don't need to buy them anyway.
fn-mote 1y ago
> Basically priming a generation against libraries. You have left off the abusive terms under which the ebooks are leased to the libraries.
- breakingcups 1y ago
  $550 for perpetual access to 1 copy which may only be lent to 1 person at a time.. Yep, abusive.
  - xp84 1y ago
    It's even more gross in my brief research - some publishers will sell a non-perpetual license for about 3-4x what a physical book costs libraries, and that license dies after 2 years or 26 loans, whatever comes first: https://pressbooks.openeducationalberta.ca/ciicm/chapter/public-library-ebook-loan-limitations-and-licensing-agreements/ https://pressbooks.openeducationalberta.ca/ciicm/chapter/pub... The above source fits with what ChatGPT told me (the chatgpt info is otherwise unverified): https://chatgpt.com/share/682cffab-65b4-8002-8561-1b5842dc25d7 https://chatgpt.com/share/682cffab-65b4-8002-8561-1b5842dc25...
deceiving 1y ago
Ebooks are way more convenient than print books. Plus you dont have to go through Amazon's system if you dont want to there are serveral alternative ereaders (kobo, pocketbook, boox). Where are you getting inventing gripes from? Change font style and size is a major factor for many people along with weight. I started reading way more when I could use a ereader instead of print books.
- Propelloni 1y ago
  I'm sure that's true for you and you are entitled to your opinion, in fact, I am happy that you read more. For me, I find paper books more convenient, easier to use, easier to make my own (I like to scribble into books), easier to read. They only lose in the storage department, but I've got a dry cellar. I own a Kindle since, I don't know, 2015, and I can count the number of books I read on it on two hands and I read about 30-40 books a year. The only reason to rent an e-book are imports that otherwise are hard to get or cost an arm and a leg.
Jalad 1y ago
The only gripe I have nowadays with libraries is that they don't have a specific book I'm looking to read But I found that it's possible to request books like that through other libraries, since most libraries have agreements with other libraries to allow interlibrary loans
- Kon-Peki 1y ago
  Interlibrary loans are one of the things that the Trump cuts will kill. Typically, a public library is legally prevented from spending tax dollars to provide services outside the taxing area. This is a pretty reasonable limitation, but it does prevent the actual mechanics of operating interlibrary loans. It doesn’t really cost a lot of money - a van and a few part-time drivers can cover a pretty wide geographic area. But that money has to come from somewhere else. That’s where those federal grants came into play.