Good ideas bubble up at the strangest times...too bad we can't blog in the shower!
(3 Posts)
The Department of Justice is suing Apple and a handful of big-name publishers over an e-book pricing scheme. According to PCMag.com, the companies conspired in a price fixing strategy to “restore competition to the [e-book] marketplace.” The article states that Amazon has had a monopoly over e-book sales for some time.
We reflected this morning on the popularity of e-readers as gifts for children and teens this holiday season as well as the growing availability of e-books at libraries. But a Sunday article in The New York Times has since caught our attention, reporting that a significant number of parents, many who use e-readers themselves, have drawn a line for their young children—they insist on sticking to hard copies.
In March, we reflected HarperCollins’ new e-book policy for libraries. The publisher capped circulations at 26 to howls of protest from librarians. HarperCollins hasn’t lifted or adjusted its restriction, yet the demand for free e-books continues to increase. According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, e-reader ownership is multiplying. One study found the number of Americans who own e-readers jumped from 6 to 12 percent between November 2010 and May 2011. The American Library Association estimates 66 percent of libraries nationwide currently lend e-books to customers. And the demand is growing exponentially!
I asked the reference librarian, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
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