Content Rules in the E-World

The boom in the e-book industry has caused libraries and library users to take a good look at how new formats change the way the library functions in terms of offering and lending material. Books and DVDs are fairly straight-forward in that if a library wants to loan a title, they just buy a copy or, if the title will have a high demand, multiple copies. The transition to e-books seems like it would be an ideal fit for the library world, as electronic versions should alleviate issues such as shelf crowding and the need to stockpile enough copies to meet the demand for a new bestseller. But, as the industry is still relatively new, content providers are still trying to figure out a model of sale and delivery that works best for both producer and consumer. Most of the issues that the library and a library user face stem from this evolving system, as the rules governing content are set by the copyright holders. Here are a few questions we frequently get about our electronic resources, which includes audiobooks, music, and magazines in addition to e-books:

Why do I have to be on a waiting list for an e-book or mp3 audiobook? These are files, so it makes sense to assume that if we own a copy of the file, there should be no limit on how many people can download a title. But, what we need to keep in mind is that publishers and authors still need to make money in order to make it worth their effort to create books. The New York Times published an article that details the cost difference between print and e-books and the author concludes e-books may only be slightly cheaper to produce. This same comparison can be made between books on CD and mp3 files. As a result, the publishers impose restrictions on how titles can be circulated by libraries. The most common model is to just stick with the one copy per user ratio, that we buy copies just like we would for print or audio versions. Another option that was introduced earlier this year by HarperCollins is, cap the number of times a file can be downloaded. HarperCollins has set a 26 download limit on their e-book titles, which the company says is the average number of times a print copy would circulate in a year.

I just finished reading a book I bought for my Kindle, can I give it to the library to add to the collection? The short answer is no, no matter what the format - be it a Kindle version, e-book, or mp3 audio file. The big difference between a physical book or set of CDs and an electronic file is, when you buy a physical item you actually posses a tangible object but in the electronic world, you are buying a license to use a file for your own purposes. Let’s take an example of a new hardcover. When you are done reading a physical book, you have the option to either keep it on your shelf, throw it out, or give it as a gift to someone else, even your local library. If you throw it out or give it away, you are releasing your claim to continue using the item and can no longer access it unless you borrow it or buy another. The point is, only one person can posses a physical copy at one time and that fact serves as the license to use the item and its contents. With an e-book or mp3, an electronic file can easily be copied and shared with multiple users so the license is what is sold, much like a license to use software on your computer. And, in many cases, that license has restrictions, such as a Kindle version that can only be used on six Kindles registered to the same account. This make it impossible to donate an e-book to the library, as the license is tied to the owner’s personal account.

How come you don’t offer all your magazines online or in one database? Periodicals have been available in electronic format for a much longer time than books, but the licensing works the same way. In the case of periodicals, the publisher will sign a contract with each database provider and set the terms of how content can be used by the provider and then the library subscribes to that database. In many cases, the content is embargoed so the database will be behind the print publication by three or more months. To further complicate things, a publisher may set different limits on each title it produces. So you may see titles that offer immediate access to articles or a case where a title may be available in a database and then disappear from that database a few months later. In an ideal world, we would have one database where you could search across all titles to find articles, but that seems unlikely to happen any time in the future. Oddly enough, e-book readers may have a bit of a negative impact on what had become a fairly stable industry, as publishers can now produce apps and offer electronic subscriptions directly to consumers. While databases won’t disappear, stocking them with titles may become more costly if publishers begin to seek fair market value for their content based on direct-to-consumer price models or set download restrictions that are similar to those on e-books and mp3 audiobooks.

How come music and movies can’t be downloaded? Much like the print world, the music and movie industries are carefully working with content providers to assure they are paid royalties for each user that accesses a file of their work. One can only speculate as to why a stable service has not been designed for libraries. In the case of music, it may be that most users want to be able to keep the music they download, so the streaming model or the rental model don’t work as well for music. On the movie side of things, distributors are thinking of how they want to approach electronic distribution and so far no content provider has been able to contract enough studios to offer a comprehensive database.

- Laura N.