Librarian by Day

Bobbi L. Newman

Shame on Penguin for this pitiful attempt at re-establishing a relationship.

Reminds me of a bad boyfriend I had once – he’d be a jerk, disappear then show up again in a day or two saying he wanted to make it work, that he cared about me but he wanted to take it slow and maybe see other people too.  Let’s learn faster than I did that this is a BAD relationship.

Seriously. Remember when they left? Citing problems with “friction”  (they actually considered making patrons physically visit the library to download ebooks) and Amazon?

Now they are back – they want to work with us. But only a few libraries. And not with their new titles.  And only for a year.

I’d love to for libraries have a relationship with Penguin. But a healthy one based on fair prices and terms, without needless friction and limitations.

And seriously Wall Street Journal and The New York Times shame on you for jumping on this story like a starving dog with a juicy bone.  You should be focusing on the fact that, libraries, one of the foundations of a free and democratic society, are being prevented from providing books to the nation. Libraries are institutions of learning and literacy and discovery and creation and innovation – all things required an active engaged citizenship in the new global knowledge economy.  You should be defending us and standing up for the rights of your citizens not writing some weak piece on the pitiful attempts of Penguin to “make it right” with libraries.

9 responses to “Penguin’s Pitiful Re-Engagement With Libraries”

  1. Leigh Anne Vrabel Avatar
    Leigh Anne Vrabel

    THIS, YES. Thank you, as ever, for the healthy dose of truth to power so necessary in the discourse on e-books and digital resources.

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    1. Bobbi Newman Avatar

      Thank you Leigh Anne! 🙂

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  2. Michelle McMorrow Ramsell Avatar
    Michelle McMorrow Ramsell

    Perfect analogy. Thank you for saying what so many of us in libraries are feeling. Your’re spot-on in my book.

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    1. Bobbi Newman Avatar

      You’re welcome Michelle and thank you!

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  3. Ann Avatar
    Ann

    EXACTLY! Well said.

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    1. Bobbi Newman Avatar

      thank you Ann 🙂

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  4. […] In her June 21, 2012 post  “Penguin’s Pitiful Re-Engagement With Libraries” (https://librarianbyday.net/2012/06/21/penguins-pitiful-re-engagement-with-libraries), Newman berates Penguin’s new policy of allowing a few libraries one year access to their […]

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  5. James Avatar
    James

    Just as a brief follow-up from Publisher’s Weekly: “Profits Fall 48% at Penguin on 4% Sales Decline”

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    1. Bobbi Newman Avatar

      James I can’t tell why you’re sharing it if it is in support of my post or against it. I guess my only comment is that you’d think sales would be through the roof since all those people who can’t read penguin ebooks at the library forced to buy them. Oh wait, that’s not how it works, Libraries doesn’t steal profit from publishers. hmmmm not sure what’s happening there then 🙂

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