What worries me most about Amazons Kindle is that its use is
predominantly for material purchased from Amazon. You can’t use it to
access any e-books from any other supplier whether that is direct or via a
library…as I understand it.
The name Kindle itself is almost becoming one of those brand
names that describes the whole range of products, like Hoover for example. The
question is not whether you own an e-reader but whether you own a Kindle.
If the uptake of the Kindle is as much as it is claimed to
be then there may well be no market for e-books from libraries anyway in the
not too distant future. Unless manufacturers like Amazon make other formats
available for use on their devices it’s the whole VHS vs Betamax all over
again. And if Kindle wins, and they do not allow non-Amazon formats then its
game over anyway.
That’s my tuppenceworth…
Scott Simpson
Systems Manager
Education Department
Phone: 0141 577 3509
Please consider the environment - do you need to
print this email?
From:
lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda Berube
Sent: 26 October 2010 11:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: E-books and our
champion, Fiona
Hi Fiona
Thanks for this. Did they approach you?
I would make sure the following points are made:
Cost: although libraries may advertise this service as 'free' there is a
distinction to be made between 'free at the point of access' and 'without any
cost whatsoever'. Of course ebooks are not free; libraries pay subscriptions,
for ebooks, for e-newspapers, for e-abstracts etc. And they have offered them
free and remotely for ages without problems, and in accordance with
publisher/aggregrator terms and conditions. (ok, a few problems but they have
been resolved between parties).
Access: libraries as a group abide by the geographical terms of the licenses,
and the exceptions are relatively few, both points confirmed by one of the
aggregators, Overdrive. There is precedent for resolution of this problem in
the past. Why not now? This seems like a fairly large sledgehammer applied to a
couple of nuts...
Business: If this is not resolved in a reasonable manner it will be bad
business for both libraries and publishers/aggregators. Readers' expectations
are that when access is offered online, remote access is included, nay
expected, demanded. If libraries don't offer this, then stats fall, and when
that happens subscriptions are cancelled.
Readers: by demanding they have to come in to download books, libraries are
disenfranchising the very readers they are hoping to target with a remote
service: housebound, physically-challenged etc. In this way libraries are
prevented from delivering on local and central government agenda.
I would emphasise that you understand the concerns and hope that a resolution
can be achieved. However, publishers also have to understand the library
position for this to happen.
Oh, I wouldn't mention directly that this has happened before. They might think
we are habitual offenders!
All best
Linda Berube
Sent from
my BlackBerry® wireless device
From: "John
Dolan" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 26 Oct
2010 10:18:11 +0100
To: 'Linda
Berube'<[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:
RE:
E-books
Thanks Linda, a great overview. As you say Amazon has
stepped in, just after Stephen Page’s announcement, with their proposal
to lend e-books.
For public libraries there will also be this tension
between national and local. Compare Enquire
which manifests itself differently – or not – in different
authorities. Disaggregation might increase with the Government’s policy
of devolving decisions to local level [public community library managers would
have every sympathy with that principle] … except that this is an area
for both efficiency and innovation
for public libraries and their communities.
SCL and TRA have both published statements. What will
be important is that all these bodies work together as one and I’m sure
they must be in discussion. CILIP too can be at the centre of this as it has
capacity, a great mix of skills and can draw of the knowledge across the
sectors through its own amazing network of partnerships and Interest Groups.
The JISC provides expert and focussed direction and
debate for academic libraries; the public library sector has to match that
calibre of togetherness to maintain development momentum.
Ed Vaizey is Minister for Creative Industries as well
as libraries and can speak fluently about libraries in the digital age. This is
an ideal combination – libraries are about creativity … both
purveying the creativity of writers, poets and thinkers and nurturing
creativity in children, young people and adult users in all areas of society.
The potential for cross government strategy is huge.
Action please!
John Dolan OBE, BA, Dip Lib, MCLIP
T. 0121 476 4258
M. 07508 204200
-----Original Message-----
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Linda Berube
Sent: 25 October 2010 22:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: E-books
Hi John and everyone
It seems the PA's problem is especially with libraries
allowing use outside their geographical boundaries. This is not the first
time publishers have objected to this practice. Low those many years ago
when a group of us were working with MLA on the negotiations for Reference
Online, there were library authorities within my own region that fell afoul of
this restriction of access. I could see both perspective's at the time,
and do so in this instance. The difference, of course, is that I think
MLA worked with the specific library authorities and publishers to reach a
compromise, and things never came to this pass. It would seem that the
same type of intervention from national bodies offically representing libraries
is called for, as John Dolan points out.
I looked on the American Publishers Association
website to see if there had been any involvement or even a mention, as the UK
PA references other trade associations, and it would seem with the
multinational nature of these publishers, there would have to be some type of
unilateral representation. I didn't see anything, although my search was
admittedly cursory. It's just not clear to me how this type of action can
be implemented if there is not a multinational agreement among publishers.
I did find, however, this statement from Overdrive (if
someone else has mentioned this, please excuse the repetition):
http://overdriveblogs.com/distribution/2010/10/22/a-statement-on-the-publishers-associations-position-on-ebook-lending/
I think this is significant, and it calls to mind
previous negotiations with Overdrive and their support of public
libraries. Once Co-East and Loughborough University completed it e-book
pilot with Essex, Co-East looked to take the e-book offering regional with the
Triple-e Commons (East of England e-Book Commons) where we were not simply
looking to broker a deal for e-books for the region, but to build an
interactive e-book service for the public and a cooperative collection and
marketing development programme for libraries. The aim was to attract the
public to the site with e-book downloads and then keep them on the site with
reviews, recommends, book clubs etc. Overdrive was more than willing to
help us to design a site with this level of interactivity. Unfortunately,
the service didn't get off the ground due to lack of funding (it was bit
before it's time).
However, I see from Jo John that an organisation will
offer exactly this type of service, and it is the organisation upon which we
modelled the interactivity in particular:
http://www.thebookseller.com/news/132239-amazon-to-introduce-kindle-e-book-lending.html.rss?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Amazon went libraries one better with the book
catalogue. It appears that it will now do the job 'lending' e-books.
All best
Linda Berube
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