LikeLike

LikeLiked by 1 person

I also think it would be great if more publishers worked with libraries to experiment with new business models that didn’t rely on DRM. Unglue certain titles from the start. Have libraries team up to pay fair fees up front. It’s hard to predict demand, but experimentation would still be worthwhile. Perhaps some kind of geo restrictions could be used along with metering. I know. Nothing would be locked down tightly. But the upfront fees would allow for that.

As you can see, I can also very much appreciate the publishers’ perspective. Good houses adding value to the authors’ creations – through editing, promotion and other services – need to be sustainable. U.S. public libraries can spend a mere $1.5 billion annually on books and other content of all kinds. I’d like to see that amount significantly increased, one reason for my interest in the creation of a national library endowment (libraryendowment.org).

I know certain publishers hate the idea of free access to books and fear that’s training users the wrong way. I myself love it. To the maximum extent possible, books should be like fluoride added to municipal water supplies. In the grand scheme of things, even far-better-stocked libraries would eat just a speck of the speck of the speck of resources available on both the public and philanthropic sides.

With new approaches, publishers might actually end up with more revenue. Would you believe, the typical American household spends maybe around $100 or so on books and other recreational texts. In other words, even as it stands now, publishers aren’t doing so great. Compare the amount spent on books with the thousands of dollars lavished on other forms of recreation.

None other than Bill Gates and Warren Buffett talk about how books help them create wealth. I’d love to see them and others big-time philanthropists put their wallets where their mouths are.

David

LikeLike