Ok. Maybe I overstated the case, but the publishing arm of Rupert Murdoch’s empire has declared war on public libraries. A Harper Collins eBook can be loaned out by a library only 26 times! TWENTY-SIX! Murdoch says that number is based on a several factors “including the average lifespan of a print book, and wear and tear on circulating copies.” Come on!
This attack on the public purse in the days of tight municipal budgets is a form of eBook Piracy that would shame the most active eBook Pirate. Read the story entitled: “The benign piracy of libraries vs Harper Collins” at Mobylives.
1 ping
[…] Galleycat offers some video of librarians challenging HarperCollins recent decision to allow libraries a maximum of only 26 eBook loans before HarperCollins titles have to be re-purchased. This is based on HarperCollins estimate that 26 represents the number of times a print book can be loaned before it is worn out. We talked about it here. […]