“Library services that involve the provision of information, regardless of format, technology or method of delivery, should be made available to all library users on an equal and equitable basis” ALA Library Bill of Rights
Ebooks have increased in popularity over the past several years. In 2011 82% of public libraries offered them to their patrons. Ebook circulation is expected to double in 2012, as public libraries have increased their offerings of ebooks by 185% over the past 12 months. (Miller, 2011) This rapid increase in ebook offerings poses a problem with the ALA’s stance of equitable access for all. In 2011, 46.2 million people were said to live in poverty in the United States, the highest poverty rate since 1993. (Censky, 2011) Many low income people cannot afford computers or ereaders and rely on the public library for access to digital content. If an ereader is required to view an ebook will libraries have the funds to purchase them for their less affluent patrons who may not be able to afford them? Also, many authors are now self publishing their books and making them available in just a digital format. Some publishers may go straight to digital publishing rather than offering a print version of their books. If this is the case, how will libraries ensure that their patrons will have access to these digital books? (Cole 2010)
There is a fear that an increased reliance on ebooks at public libraries will prioritize wealthier patrons over those who can’t afford ereaders. Recently the Rockford Illinois chapter of the NAACP protested the Rockford public library’s decision to spend a quarter of its annual budget on ebooks. According to Holly McDede, “63% of Rockford residents are considered low-income and are likely unable to afford ereaders, widening the digital divide.” The concern is that an increase in ebooks will mean fewer physical books for people who can't afford ereaders. The Rockford Library Trustees say that fewer printed books will save money at the circulation desk due to less printed books having to be handled. ( Hayes, 2012) But at what cost to their patrons? Close to 80% of the public libraries in the United States serve populations under 25,000, with ever shrinking budgets. Small public libraries will have a hard time being able to afford the high costs involved with ebooks and content purchasing. “A digital divide between libraries. Between their patrons. The haves and have nots. One might call this discrimination.” (Braum, 2011)
Braum, Heather (2011, February 26) Discriminating Against Libraries, 26 eBook Circs at a Time (web log post) retrieved from http://www.heatherbraum.info/libraries/discriminating-against-libraries-26-ebook-circs-at-a-time/
Censky, Annalyn (2011, September 13) Poverty Rates Rises in America, CNN Money retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/13/news/economy/poverty_rate_income/index.htm
Cole, J Timothy, ( May 11, 2010) The Future of Ebooks in Libraries retrieved from http://greensborolibrary.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/the-future-of-ebooks-in-libraries-the-coming-revolution-for-the-book/
Hayes, Jeannie (2012, March 15), Library patrons worry modern approach will reduce books, WREX Channel 13 retrieved from http://www.wrex.com/story/17162298/library-patrons-worry-modern-approach-will-reduce-books
McDede, Holly (2012, March 21) E-books create Challenges for Libraries. The East Bay ExPress. Retrieved from http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/e-books-create-challenges-for-libraries/Content?oid=3157044
Miller, Rebecca, (October 12, 2011) Library Journal, and School Libarary Journal retrieved from http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2011/10/ebooks/dramatic-growth-ljs-second-annual-ebook-survey/
This is a wonderful post! I never thought about how eBooks might affect various populations, but it is true that their growing popularity will make it increasingly difficult to provide access to all populations, regardless of income.
ReplyDeleteIn an article for Switched.com, Terrance O'Brien brings up another point about this problem: less fortunate populations are already faced with lower literacy rates than more economically stable populations. Regardless of the reason for this, increasing the use of eBooks can only compound the issue of the literacy and digital divide because it means that there will be fewer books available to lower income individuals.
I am certainly not suggesting that libraries should not make use of eBooks. It is important to keep relevant with the most recent technologies. However, libraries should work hard to ensure that their materials are available in both electronic and physical formats in order to avoid isolating an entire segment of the population.
Reference:
O'Brien, T (2011). E-Books May Turn Digital Divide into a Reading Divide. Retrieved from http://www.switched.com/2011/03/18/e-books-may-turn-digital-divide-into-a-reading-divide/
Excellent point Anne, as Barbara Ford pointed out " future prosperity .... will be partially determined by the distribution of information access across haves and have nots" (2008 Ford p 196) With the potential of fewer resources for those who do not have access to ebooks it seems likely that there is a high risk of lower literacy rates. I agree that libraries have to try and make ebooks available to all by loaning out ereaders or make those same titles available in print form. I think it's an issue that many libraries will be faced with in the near future.
DeleteFord, B (2008 )LIS Professionals in a Global Society, in Haycock, k and Sheldon, B (Eds), The Portable MLIS, Westport Connecticut, Libraries Unlimited.
In the college I work, our e-books are provided through Ebscohost and eBrary and are available through the computer. The catch to this service is that the person has to be either a student or have a computer pass purchased from the IT department to view the materials. Also, I am not sure if we pay per copy or pay per title. What if the publishers went to a service like this with the public libraries?
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I noticed was the lack of discussion about the permanent ownership problem with e-books. When a customer, or library, purchase an e-book, they are purchasing rights to view the book but not the actual book itself. This might tie into DRM and I am just looking at it strangely, but what does happen if the publisher goes out of business? Below is an article of interest.
http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2011/11/do-you-really-own-that-ebook.html
It is an interesting question as to what happens to ebooks when a publisher goes out of business? You are correct that when an ebook is sold the license to read the book is sold not an actual copy of the book. If the publisher goes out of business what then happens to the book? Typically the author not the publisher holds copyright to the book so in essence the author would still hold the copyright. Would they then have to redistribute the book? I would think that if a publisher went out of business another company would buy them out and thus be responsible to the rights of the books. It is interesting though on a related note, Amazon distributed George Orwell’s 1984, when the publisher decided it did not want the book in digital form Amazon remotely removed the book from people’s Kindles and refunded their money. So if the publisher goes out of business could the distributor then go and take all of the books from someone’s ereader?
ReplyDeletehttp://balkin.blogspot.com/2009/07/control-at-distance.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/168654/amazon_removes_ebooks_from_kindle_store_revokes_ownership.html