Publisher opts to limit library loan of e-books

The life of a book in a library can be indefinite.

The life of an e-book? There is now an expiration date for sometitles in a library's collection.

Recently HarperCollins, the publisher for authors includingLouise Erdrich, Joyce Carol Oates and Elmore Leonard, announced thatits e-books purchased by libraries will be limited to 26 checkoutseach before the license expires.

Librarians are worried this could become the benchmark, not theexception, for all publishers.

"If all publishers limit e-books to 26 checkouts, libraries willhave to renew a portion of their collection every year," says CesareJ. Muccari, library director for the Greensburg Hempfield AreaLibrary.

"One of the concerns of libraries is, is this just the beginningof a trend in more restricted access than what we already get?" saysSarah Beasley, who is transitioning to the position of coordinatorof e-Resources at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

In a prepared statement, HarperCollins said its policy concerninge-book usage at libraries needed to be updated to reflect thegrowing use of the technology:

"It is projected that the installed base of e-reading devicesdomestically will reach nearly 40 million this year. We have seriousconcerns that our previous e-book policy, selling e-books tolibraries in perpetuity, if left unchanged, would undermine theemerging e-book eco-system, hurt the growing e-book channel, placeadditional pressure on physical bookstores, and in the end lead to adecrease in book sales and royalties paid to authors. We are lookingto balance the mission and needs of libraries and their patrons withthose of authors and booksellers, so that the library channel canthrive alongside the growing e-book retail channel."

HarperCollins' decision to limit e-book access is another burdenfor libraries that have been subject to budget cuts in recent yearseven as demand for library services has increased. Muccari says ahidden factor in the decision is the price libraries pay for e-books. A consumer will pay $12.99 for the e-book of LauraHillenbrand's "The Unbroken" at amazon.com.; libraries will playcloser to the hardback list price of $27.

"We're really getting bashed," Muccari says, noting that twopublishers, Simon & Schuster and MacMillan, do not permit any salesof e-books to libraries.

Another concern is that the demand for popular titles mightprevent a library from adding books in other sections. To meetdemands by patrons last year, the Northland Public Library inMcCandless ordered 30 hardback copies of "The Help" by KathrynStockett.

"The trickle-down effect of that is it doesn't allow us to growour collection in other areas," says Karen Shaw, an adult-serviceslibrarian at Northland. "We'd like to make sure we have fabulous artbooks, books on car repair, in order to provide a well-roundedcollection."

There are websites and a Facebook page vowing to boycottHarperCollins' books unless the decision to limit e-book checkoutsis rescinded. Muccari, who casts HarperCollins' decision as anelement of jockeying for control between publishers, authors,bookstores, libraries and vendors in the book economy, mulledjoining the boycotting before deciding against it.

"You can do that with one company," he says. "But if all of themgo that way, how can a library boycott every publisher?"

While librarians decry any limit on checkouts, Beasley says shethinks the HarperCollins decision may provide an opportunity tobring all publishers into the e-book conversation.

"This could open up a dialogue to debate different accessoptions," Beasley says, "and, in some ways, allow greater access topublisher's materials."

Digital downloads

What's one advantage of downloading an e-book from a library?

"The beauty of it is you can do this from home in the middle ofthe night," says Karen Shaw, an adult-services librarian atNorthland Public Library in McCandless.

Shaw compares the process to downloading music from iTunes --except the library service is free. Patrons need only a library cardand Internet access via a computer, iPad, or other reading device.(Kindles are not compatible with library systems; they only work viaamazon.com.)

Via downloadable intermediary software -- the Carnegie Library ofPittsburgh system uses OverDrive at www.clpgh.org -- patrons browsethe library's site. Books are added to a digital cart, thendownloaded.

There are never any late fees, because titles expire at the endof the loan period of three weeks.