[Arwen]

Originally Posted by Tawse

very interesting. I have no clue as to the technology behind it.. but it seems weird that they could run "out" of an electronic book... must learn more...

Concept is that a library can only afford so many copies of a title right? Each copy they get is bought (which means the publisher gets paid so the editor/copy editor/author etc get paid.)

Each copy then gets loaned out X number of times before it has to be replaced.

The same ideology has been applied to e-books on loan. And apparently the number of times it can be loaned out varies by publisher. I was told by a librarian that Harper-Collins cuts it off at 26 loans.

That's low even for a hardback.

But, the bottom line is just that. It's a money issue. Library books are great and I have the latest George R. R. Martin on my Kindle from my library. But I also hope folks have books (mine, lolol!) that they bought and paid for.

It's one of the reasons I am so adamantly against piracy. It's not sharing. It's theft.

Copying books for others? Theft.
Downloading from "free" sites? Theft.

If a book is free, the author will have it on their site. If it's not and you find it somewhere for "free", it is taking money out of more than one person's pocket.

And, for the record? I make anywhere between .18 and 2.30 for a book that is sold in the right way. So it's not a lot.

Yeah, I'll jump off my soapbox now. Can someone please give me hand down? It's kinda high up!