One thing that's frustrating is how little most people know about what the cost is for digital items for libraries. Library people have been talking about it more in regards for Macmillan this year, but it's important for people to know they aren't the only pub with unfair terms.
Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, and Little Brown titles all disappear 24 months after purchase. Which means if a series publishes installments exactly one year after one another, by the time book 3 comes out, book 1 expires & book 2 will disappear a year later
It is very frustrating to constantly have to decide whether to re-purchase a license for a book in order to keep all books in a series (which is an important tenant of collection development) or buy new stuff.
Plus, publishers charge us a LOT of money for these titles. I found an audiobook from S&S I would probably buy for my library's collection, but it's $99.99 for a 2 year license. FOR AN AUDIOBOOK. Audios have always traditionally had perpetual access (keep it forever).
I can't justify buying one audiobook that will disappear in 2 years when I could buy 2 or 3 audiobooks for the same price that I can keep forever.
And I get it. Digital items don't wear the way physical items do so I understand publishers wanting to sell more items. But there has to be a better way than setting one kind of terms for all books from each publisher.
Aside from their rude 4 month embargo, I actually LIKED Macmillan's "new" terms from last year: buy 1 perpetual license of each title, and additional titles were metered for 2 years. PRH right now is giving libraries the option to buy a 1 OR 2 year license. I love having choice!
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