Amazon to Cut E-Book Prices, Shaking Rivals (making Amazon a Monopoly)

[RainDog]

142. At this time, people still prefer print books for children

I could go find the link, but if you google, you'll see a recent study about this issue. People also prefer to own rather than borrow library copies - simply because they can share books they've enjoyed with friends. E-books have increased their share of the market, but a lot of people still prefer to have a bound, paper copy of a book because they own it, no question. Paper books don't require special devices to access and their format is very stable (i.e. the book won't go away when a platform changes.) Reading paper books is easier on the eye, as well.

but libraries have been able to supply e-books to patrons for a while now. the agreements varied by publisher, but most of them allowed people to check out e-books for x amt of time before the contract on that book expires. then libraries have to purchase another ebook copy. the reason for this, of course, is to keep publishers from going bankrupt.

initially, Amazon didn't want to let libraries offer e-books. they changed their minds after the publisher agreements.

libraries still offer paper books. their budgets, however, are impacted by the costs and demand for e-books and more and more funds will be allocated toward the purchase of that media.

Unlike the assumption - librarians manage data, its acquisition, and its storage in whatever format it appears.