Inside libraries' battle for better e-book access

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Inside libraries' battle for better e-book access
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Librarians say Libby and hoopla, the popular e-book apps, are expensive to offer.

This restricts the number of e-books — particularly popular bestsellers — that they can lend out to patrons, who are angry and baffled by the limitations. Readers love the free apps that allow them to borrow countless e-books and audiobooks: Libby ,""By comparison, libraries can purchase hardcover books for around $18-$20.

"Reality check:more progress for us to make" in terms of library pricing, "but we have delivered," Steve Potash, founder and CEO of OverDrive, tells Axios. "We will always find opportunities to educate and advocate for publishers, authors and agents that their best interests are served by giving all institutions fair and flexible opportunities to acquire digital books."corporation in 2017 — and with that, he says, "we have to be advocates for libraries to get the best value proposition."Librarians are developing open-source alternatives to Libby and hoopla and testing "experiments with publishers that don't involve restrictive licenses," says Jennie Rose Halperin, director of Library Futures.is a nascent e-book delivery platform for libraries backed by the James L. Knight Foundation, a nonprofit called Lyrasis and the Digital Public Library of America.of the nation's social problems — and it's going to be tough for them to simultaneously take on the publishing industry and win.Share on linkedin

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