Due to an increase in e-reader
ownership, more and more libraries are providing patrons with access to e-books,
with the help of e-book providers like Overdrive. To patrons, these e-book providers are a
great service which their libraries provide them. Which e-reader owner doesn’t want access to hundreds
of popular titles, available to be borrowed for free from their public
library? If I had an e-reader, I know I
would definitely take advantage of this resource. In order for libraries to keep up with new
technology and thus the needs of their tech savvy patrons, libraries know that
it’s important to provide these services.
There are many reasons why these types of services are great for patrons
and libraries, but many librarians feel that patronizing e-book providers, like
Overdrive, is more problematic than it is beneficial, at least from a library
stand-point.
The Kansas State Library,
which signed its first contract with OverDrive in December 2005, had to
renegotiate with the vendor this year, as their contract would soon be up. The new contract they received from Overdrive
however, was not one that they were expecting, or could even afford. As it turned out, OverDrive was increasing
their price by 700% over their last contract.
In addition to the extraordinary increase in price, there was also a
change in how the eBooks would be provided to them. With their old contract, eBooks were
considered purchased content, but in the new contract, it was obvious that the
library would no longer be owning the eBooks, they were now only provided
license to lend them to library users for as long as the contract was valid. And so, the Kansas State Library chose to not
renew their agreement with OverDrive and they have yet to find a new
provider. Kansas State Librarian, Jo
Budler, feels that it really isn’t OverDrive’s fault though, she says: “OverDrive is really caught in a squeeze as a
middleman – all of these eBook vendors are – with publishers on one side and
libraries and their patrons on the other.”[1]
One of the main reasons
why OverDrive had to change their contracts with their customers is because of
publishers changing the way in which libraries can lend out their books, now
that eBooks are a huge part of a library’s catalogue. HarperCollins for instance, now limits
libraries to lending out each of their titles only 26 times before the library
has to re-pay for additional lending.
Since providers, like OverDrive are caught in the middle, Budler says “we
need to collaborate as partners – libraries and publishers. Let’s all gain from this.”
For those of you
wondering why libraries would even try to work with eBook providers right now
considering this transitional period seems to be a costly hassle, I will
provide you with some positive information about eBooks in libraries, as it
really isn’t ALL bad. In October,
Overdrive released their third quarter results, which include numbers from the 15,000
libraries that utilize the OverDrive network.
The results showed that the number of eBooks checked out nearly tripled
in number for the third quarter, in comparison to all of 2010. Additionally, there were more than 2 million
new users, using not only e-readers, but mobile devices as well. Since users have to have a library card and
check-out these eBooks from their local libraries, this can only mean one
thing: E-Readers and eBooks are actually
bringing people to their local libraries, as opposed to keeping them away,
which is what many people thought would happen. Libraries should be able to rejoice knowing
that technology won’t be making them obsolete, but in the mean time, they have
those pesky contracts (and those greedy publishers) to worry about.
Sources:
- “Kansas Leading the Fight for Fair Ebook Access in Libraries,” Nancy K. Herther. http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/NewsBreaks/Kansas-Leading-the-Fight-for-Fair-Ebook-Access-in-Libraries-78302.asp
- “eBook growth in public libraries powered by OverDrive results in record checkouts and new Users,” OverDrive Press Release [October 12, 2011]. http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?
