In case you haven’t seen it, there is a new site organizing a boycott of HarperCollins. Conversations about this have popped up on Twitter, Facebook and in the comments of my original post about the HarperCollines Fiasco, so I thought I’d provide a venue for discussion just about this issue. I’m inclined to agree with Toby Greenwalt on this one But I would argue that the picket line isn’t the place for this battle. Rather, I think we need to take this struggle to the boardroom. I’m concerned that boycotting now may make us look hysterical or irrational, not an image we want to take to a negotiation. There may come a time when boycotting is the way to go, I’m just not sure its now. But I want to know what you think. Should we be boycotting? If not now, when? What should we be doing? Read More: The eBook User’s Bill of Rights #hcod #ebookrights Publishing Industry Forces OverDrive and Other Library eBook Vendors to Take a Giant Step Back Terms of Service on Our Terms More Thoughts on the Boycott: Boycott? Bad idea. | reverse snowglobe HCOD, eBook User Bill of Rights and Math | SarahGlassmeyer(dot)com On Boycotts and Readers’
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The eBook User’s Bill of Rights #hcod #ebookrights
Read this. The eBook User’s Bill of Rights is a statement of the basic freedoms that should be granted to all eBook users. The eBook User’s Bill of Rights Every eBook user should have the following rights: the right to use eBooks under guidelines that favor access over proprietary limitations the right to access eBooks on any technological platform, including the hardware and software the user chooses the right to annotate, quote passages, print, and share eBook content within the spirit of fair use and copyright the right of the first-sale doctrine extended to digital content, allowing the eBook owner the right to retain, archive, share, and re-sell purchased eBooks I believe in the free market of information and ideas. I believe that authors, writers, and publishers can flourish when their works are readily available on the widest range of media. I believe that authors, writers, and publishers can thrive when readers are given the maximum amount of freedom to access, annotate, and share with other readers, helping this content find new audiences and markets. I believe that eBook purchasers should enjoy the rights of the first-sale doctrine because eBooks are part of the greater cultural cornerstone of literacy, education,
Publishing Industry Forces OverDrive and Other Library eBook Vendors to Take a Giant Step Back
Yesterday I received an email from OverDrive with an attachment titled “OverDrive Partner Library Update from Steve Potash”, I glanced at it and filed it away in my to-read pile for a later date (which honestly means I may never have gotten to it). This morning Heather Braum brought it to my attention via this post by Joe Atzberger. The contents of this document are spun in a positive way and there are some great things coming from OverDrive, but in between the good news is some bad news, some really bad news. The first bit – ownership of ebooks will now expire after a certain number of check outs to patrons. Libraries may no longer own them forever and ever. This is unbelievable! And a HUGE step backwards in lending rights and library access. The past several months have brought about dramatic changes for the print and eBook publishing and retail industries. Digital book sales are now a significant percentage of all publisher and author revenue. As a result several trade publishers are re-evaluating eBook licensing terms for library lending services. Publishers are expressing concern and debating their digital future where a single eBook license to a library may never expire, never wear
eBooks and Libraries – We’re Screwed. But Wait! There’s Hope!
Last September I participated in the virtual Summit Ebooks: Libraries at the Tipping Point hosted by Library Journal and Library School Journal. One of the sessions everyone was, and still is, talking about was the talk by Eli Neiburger (Neibruger is an Associate Director for IT and Producation at a public library and Library Renewal board member). Thanks to the magic of the Internet and YouTube the talk is available online for free. One of the reasons I’m blogging this when so many other people already have is because others have focused on the screwed part. (Let’s not get into to possible reasons why.) I want to highlight the last part of the “We are so screwed” statement Neiburger makes which is “unless”. There is hope. I strongly suggest you take the time and watch it and consider the points he makes. What do you think? Do you agree with him? Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Share on FriendFeed Buzz it up Share on netvibes share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tumblr it Buzz it up Subscribe to the comments on this post Print for later Tell a friend
Friends, Romans, Countrymen Lend Me Your Ebooks: Resources for Loaning & Borrowing Nook & Kindle Items
This is not a post about libraries and ebooks but about ebook loaning for purchased titles. First let me state that I think the lending rules on the Kindle and Nook are complete rubbish. I mean really the selection is very limit and you can only lend an item one time and for only 14 days. But I think any loaning is better than none, so I was pleased to see Amazon open up loaning for Kindle titles recently. Some numbers I have 125 items on my Kindle of those 17 are loanable, which is 13.6% But wait of that 125 I paid for 18 titles. Of those 18 I can lend 1 which is 5%. Niether of those number is anything to get excited about. Now granted I don’t read popular fiction so most of my titles are non-fiction, that may make a difference. I’d love to hear numbers from other Nook, Kindle and Sony owners! Leave a comment! So let’s get down to the real reason for this post- some tools for sharing the books you own and actually can share with more than just the few people you may know who have the same device as you. Resources for sharing and borrowing your
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