Re:Twilight of the Libraries: What Gets Lost When Books Go O...
by joe5150 on Wednesday March 01, 2023 @06:17PM
(#34989729)
Source is I run a library. We pay outrageous prices for eBooks which 1) aren't actually owned, 2) can't be bought used or donated, 3) may expire after a fixed term or number of circulations, and 4) generally have to be managed within vendor-specific eBook lending platforms which in the not-that-long run are going to cost any library more than a set of shelves.
[Edit] As for whether this makes sense for libraries, we have to meet the demands and expectations of our users whether it makes sense or not. The hope (HOPE) is that given enough time and changes in the market, some of the terms under which we now acquire and pay for digital resources will become more favorable to libraries, but that could be a long way away. What I can tell you is that there are probably about 0 universities (in the US) who are actually prioritizing physical collections development over digital in spite of the costs.
Some useful commentary here: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/sta...
[Edit] As for whether this makes sense for libraries, we have to meet the demands and expectations of our users whether it makes sense or not. The hope (HOPE) is that given enough time and changes in the market, some of the terms under which we now acquire and pay for digital resources will become more favorable to libraries, but that could be a long way away. What I can tell you is that there are probably about 0 universities (in the US) who are actually prioritizing physical collections development over digital in spite of the costs.