This question, 'is there a market willing to pay'?, is really one you need
to know. I would think some people would, for a first class service to get a
book as soon as it is available? I would and I know others who would.
But as I say, you need to find out, and look at what the competitors offer
(e.g.,Amazon), and beat them with an offer of a sort that attracts readers.
Many libraries charge for DVDs don't them?
For instance, market the stuff you have (if you have retained it), of great
books, classics and others that are NOT hot off the press. and so on
f
Frances Hendrix
Martin House Farm, Hilltop Lane, Whittle le Woods, Chorley, Lancs PR6 7QR,
UK
tel: 01257 274 833. fax: 01257 266 488
email: [log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Hague" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 9:35 AM
Subject: Re: Reading Groups and charges
Dear Frances,
- is there a market willing to pay, or are we just forcing them into it?
I'm sure if we prodded people long enough (with threats to remove the
service if they didn't) they would be willing to pay for many things
(including books loans at the very thick end of the wedge). But this would
really damage our 'brand'.
- 'There are those who can pay and should' - are you assumping that only the
wealthy attend reading groups? I assure you that in my authority our network
is extremely mixed: would you make some members of a group pay and others
not? To suggest that
Those who can pay often do - they buy books from private sector enterprises
called bookshops (many of which are also struggling in the current climate).
Why would they continue to use our service if we charged them on top of what
they already pay in tax? Again, the damage to libraries as a service would
be immense.
At bottom - if any of our services actually made any money, they would have
been privatised already!
Cheers,
David
|