Limitations to e-books for libraries

Libraries to date have to survive in challenging times, from limited budgets to keeping up on the latest technology. The latest problem encounter by libraries has been the limited access they can give to their patrons over e-books. One publisher in the United States has done exactly that, the publisher has limited the borrowing to 26 times a year; the reason cited by the publisher has been over the rightsholder. Rightsholder is the same as the copyright. Authors and publishers have express concerns that the libraries are not doing enough to have proper technology in place that ensures the material from e-books cannot be duplicated and be passed on through other electronic means. 

The copying and distribution problems are nothing new; the problems existed in other industries such as the music and movie industry. In the age of the internet, industries have limited themselves by not been looking at new ways which can stop the copying and distribution of materials. Libraries are not for profit organizations, if anything they help educates the public of what resources are readily available. In a white paper report that was release last year shows that the sales from e-books has stem from people visiting the library. Instead of the industries working the libraries to help curb the problem, they are creating a bigger backlash from the public and its patron’s.

www.overdrive.com/files/PubWhitePaper.pdf