5 ms·

I wonder how the cost of ownership breaks down over time. A library pays $15 for a physical book that requires re-shelving, index cards to be made and kept up,

I wonder how the cost of ownership breaks down over time. A library pays $15 for a physical book that requires re-shelving, index cards to be made and kept up, time spent searching when someone misplaced the book, floor space, shelving, off site storage, etc. There's cost for storing ebooks too but a couple of Dell servers and a backup provider could handle even a fairly large library with less labor (probably the highest cost). I don't know much about the library world so maybe $78 for an ebook is terrible but owning a thing isn't a fixed cost like the article pretends it to be.

aaronem 13y ago
I'd be interested to know how library ebook lending actually works. Are the original files hosted by the library, or does the library instead pass some sort of time-limited token to the reader which the publisher redeems for a copy of the text? I don't know anyone who works for a library, and I've never borrowed an ebook from a library; I'd be obliged to anyone with domain knowledge who'd care to describe the process here.
- spongle 13y ago
  Well i usually go to 4shared's library service :) (really I do buy physical books and refuse to use ebooks until this sort of shit is in the past).
- dingaling 13y ago
  Many ( most? ) public libraries in the UK use the Overdrive service http://www.overdrive.com/libraries/public-libraries/faq/ http://www.overdrive.com/libraries/public-libraries/faq/ which is hosted by the vendor and branded for the library. Your OverDrive digital library is a website that allows patrons 24/7 online access to a digital collection of eBooks, audiobooks, music and video.
- joe5150 13y ago
  I don't know of any public libraries that handle their own general ebook lending. They use services like Overdrive, and in the case of Overdrive how the actual ebook file is served depends on which type of ebook it is. For ePubs, the file is downloaded directly and managed with Adobe Digital Editions (Overdrive's ePubs are generally all protected with Adobe DRM). For Kindle books, the Overdrive site directs the user to the Amazon site (with some kind of authentication token) where the user can have the book sent to his/her Kindle device.

aaronem 13y ago

I'd be interested to know how library ebook lending actually works. Are the original files hosted by the library, or does the library instead pass some sort of time-limited token to the reader which the publisher redeems for a copy of the text? I don't know anyone who works for a library, and I've never borrowed an ebook from a library; I'd be obliged to anyone with domain knowledge who'd care to describe the process here.

spongle 13y ago
Well i usually go to 4shared's library service :) (really I do buy physical books and refuse to use ebooks until this sort of shit is in the past).
dingaling 13y ago
Many ( most? ) public libraries in the UK use the Overdrive service http://www.overdrive.com/libraries/public-libraries/faq/ http://www.overdrive.com/libraries/public-libraries/faq/ which is hosted by the vendor and branded for the library. Your OverDrive digital library is a website that allows patrons 24/7 online access to a digital collection of eBooks, audiobooks, music and video.
joe5150 13y ago
I don't know of any public libraries that handle their own general ebook lending. They use services like Overdrive, and in the case of Overdrive how the actual ebook file is served depends on which type of ebook it is. For ePubs, the file is downloaded directly and managed with Adobe Digital Editions (Overdrive's ePubs are generally all protected with Adobe DRM). For Kindle books, the Overdrive site directs the user to the Amazon site (with some kind of authentication token) where the user can have the book sent to his/her Kindle device.