• What’s the purpose of libraries in the 21st century? Salon says the new main branch of the Cambridge Public Library (just blocks from C4 HQ) isn’t practical. The Guardian says libraries still matter in a digital age, and so does an Australian librarian (via). And Ars Technica reveals how libraries help America’s poor. We already know Macmillan hates libraries. I don’t enjoy this line of discussion.

• What’s the last great book you read? John Crace in the Guardian discusses how difficult it is to find a great a novel these days, because there are far too many books and publishers will tell you each and every one of them is mind-blowingly fantastic. I couldn’t agree more. Crace recommends genre fiction; meanwhile, on the Guardian’s books blog, a post about how shorter can be better for fiction. And then, crime novelist Ian Rankin discusses/defends crime fiction (via). I’m inclined to agree with all this, the only problem is that I’ve been reading all the Edgar award nominees—supposedly the best of the year in a genre that’s right up my alley—and not a single one of them has been great. It’s a nice theory, though.

• Piracy is still a hot topic, though now people are complaining that “piracy” is such a sexy word it makes people want to pirate. The ethicist at the NYT says you can steal a copy of an ebook you previously bought—counterpoint. Despite the ethicist, IsoHunt will essentially be shut down has essentially been shut down. Finally, Big Content wants the U.S.’s new intellectual property enforcer to eliminate peer-to-peer file-sharing. Good luck with that.

• Here is an article from the NYT about literature and cognitive science. Basically, it’s about how empathy relates to reading fiction, and how readers process interrelated or overlapping points of view. Or “what the scholars call levels of intentionality.” Read it.

Obligatory iPad and Amazon news—and lots of other stuff—after the break.

• Some obligatory iPad news— Farhad Manjoo says resisting the iPad is futile, and on the day of its release 300,000 people didn’t even try. Also, a quarter million ebooks have already been downloaded, which seems like a lot. The big iPad question, from an ebook standpoint, is whether it will replace E-Ink ereaders. The answer is an overwhelming yes. Umm, or no. Or kind of. So probably not, in other words. That wasn’t too confusing, right? Anyway, the comics app looks pretty outstanding. Here are some more reviews of the iPad, and that’s just about enough of it. Wait, one more, for haters: will it blend?

• The obligatory Amazon v. agency model news— After Amazon finally capitulated to the agency book-pricing model (and a transition that was anything but seamless), they made sure everybody knew who was raising prices. Random House doesn’t want an agency deal, though, possibly because they hate authors. More likely because it doesn’t make any sense to make less money on each ebook and also sell fewer books. Meanwhile, HarperCollins gave away so many ebooks that it seemed simply too good to be true. Finally, between agency models and Apple iPads, what would you do today if you were Jeff Bezos? (I would cackle and cackle, simply because I could.)

• A few weeks ago novelist Carrie Vaughn left Grand Central Publishing, and wrote this post about why she did it (via). It’s an interesting piece, and it’s mostly about a non-compete clause. Coincidentally, Grand Central is responsible for this travesty of literature, which is very bad.

• Quick takes: the Guardian on the “lost Booker”; David Mamet on drama; Elmore Leonard and sons on writing; a terrific essay on Maoists in India by Arundhati Roy, part one and part two; what constitutes fair use?; how not to title a novel.

• Random of the week: A pair of brothers spent several months “squatting” on the side of a wall in Rio de Janeiro as part of an art installation. Here are some more pictures.

Seattle Public Library

On Wednesday, blogger Eric Hellman wrote this recap of an event at which Mamillan CEO John Sargent spoke (via). Sargent’s comments on libraries were quite distressing; he described borrowing library ebooks like this: “It’s like Netflix, but you don’t pay for it. How is that a good model for us?”

Yikes. Sargent’s anti-library-ebook argument is essentially that borrowing physical books from a library is a major drag, so people don’t do it so often. Borrowing ebooks is super easy, and that will bring the publishing industry to its knees.

Hellman, who actually asked Sargent the library question at the event, says this: “he has gaps in his knowledge of libraries.” I would put it in slightly stronger terms: it sounds like Sargent hasn’t borrowed a library book in 20 years, if ever.

Sargent doesn’t know about online card catalogs, which allow you to order physical books and have them waiting for you at the branch of your choosing. He thinks ten people reading a book will destroy it. He thinks anybody can get a card to any library in the country (in fact, you have to be at least a state resident, as I found out last year when I talked to Rachel Martin, a librarian at the Seattle Public Library). Basically, Sargent doesn’t know much about checking out books.

More troublingly, he seems to see libraries as foolhardy businesses that aren’t charging (and aren’t tithing out publishers) enough. Personally, I see free access to public libraries as a fundamental human right in an industrialized nation. It’s a sizable difference of opinion.

And I’m noticing something else: the more Sargent talks, the more dictatorial and greedy he sounds.

When Sargent led the charge against $9.99 ebooks, I thought it was a pretty silly move, given that the publisher will make less money on each Macmillan-priced ebook, and history tells us they will sell fewer books. It’s a lot to give up just to maintain price control, no?

But since he sold it as a move to protect his authors (and since Amazon catastrophically botched their response), Sargent won that round.

Now he’s making noise about libraries, and he’s shown us that he’s just crazy enough to act on his beliefs. Imagine being a Macmillan author and hearing that your books will no longer be available in libraries because John Sargent wants to get paid a rental fee every time somebody reads one.

The first problem I have with this is that Sargent wants the world to update its business models only in ways that directly benefit him. He wants everyone to change how they treat ebooks, because ebooks are completely different entities than paper books. Except for, you know, how much they should cost.

In a blog entry today, Sargent says that ebooks should cost about the same as paper books because “the physical cost of the book has never been the greatest component of cost” and also because “publishers still need warehouses, infrastructure, and all the other legacy costs of the business.”

Even in just those two comments, Sargent shows that he wants readers to forget some of publishing’s business tactics (like making a cheap, spiffy-looking hardcover to trick people into paying more), but not other ones (like the “legacy costs of the business”). It’s just flatly hypocritical, and whenever a salesman is that obviously contradictory, it means either he’s stupid or he thinks you are.

My bigger problem with Sargent’s anti-library comment is that it misconstrues the basic societal role of public libraries, and it grossly ignores the benefits of an ebook-driven library revival.

One surprising thing I learned in that interview with a librarian is that Seattle Public Library’s online division is its most popular “branch.” Instead of bemoaning the fact that more people are using the library because of ebooks, Sargent should be celebrating it. If more people read, that’s a good thing, especially for publishers.

To put it in half-assed business terms: the popularity of library ebooks increases the potential audience for the publishing industry, and also increases that audience’s enthusiasm and appetite for books.

To phrase it more eloquently, here’s a passage from the Seattle Public Library’s Mission Statement:

We strive to inform, enrich and empower every person in our community by creating and promoting easy access to a vast array of ideas and information, and by supporting an informed citizenry, lifelong learning and love of reading.

Sargent’s words again: “How is that a good model for us?”

Seattle Public Library

Rachel Martin is a librarian in Technical and Collection Services at the Seattle Public Library; she coordinates the OverDrive digital catalog for the library. She was kind enough to answer a few questions about ebooks, libraries, and the OverDrive catalog, which allows libraries to lend ebooks, audiobook mp3s, and other digital media. You can check out the OverDrive collection at the Seattle Public Library here.

Chamber Four: Not all libraries are offering ebooks. How did SPL hear about OverDrive and decide to use it?

Rachel Martin: We were aware of OverDrive early on as they began promoting the service to public libraries. We were excited to offer a service to our users that provided both ebooks and digital audiobooks.

C4: Does the OverDrive service cost money? Does the library pay by ebook copy you make available, or all-inclusively for the service itself?

RM: Libraries pay a one-time upfront fee to get a customized website and to set up the service and then we pay a quarterly hosting and maintenance fee. We purchase each copy of a book that we make available to our patrons.

C4: What are the future plans for this? Will there be expansion in terms of number of copies allowed out at a time? How about number of titles offered?

RM: The Library purchases titles on a regular basis. We began the service in 2005 with approximately 1,500 ebook and digital audiobook titles and we currently offer about 30,000 titles (ebooks, digital audiobooks, music and video). In 2005 library patrons could have 10 items checked out at a time. Now that the collection is larger patrons can check out 20 items at a time.

OverDrive regularly enhances the service. For example, we recently implemented a feature where Library users can choose their own checkout period instead of the 3 week default checkout. So for Library users who know they will be done with an item in less than a week, they can choose a 1 week checkout period instead of the default 3 weeks. This will allow the item to become available more quickly for someone else and it will allow that user to check out more items.

C4: I’ve noticed in my own use of the OverDrive system that there don’t seem to be long waits for ebooks. How many library patrons are using the system for ebooks? How long is the average wait as compared to their paper counterparts? Have you bought multiple copies of any ebooks? And how has this changed since the OverDrive system’s inception in 2005?

RM: Use of the digital downloadable collection has steadily increased since it was introduced in 2005. In 2008, downloadable media circulation increased 59% from the previous year. The Library maintains the same copy to holds ratio for all formats. When more than 5 patrons are on the wait list for each copy, additional copies are added to maintain this ratio.

C4: Do publishers release mostly new books as ebooks for overdrive? Are there any plans to release older books as ebooks?

RM: There is a mixture of new releases, classics and older mid-list titles available from a variety of publisher and for all age ranges.

C4: Does OverDrive do the legwork? i.e. do they make the contracts with publishers, decide which books go into the database, etc? To what extent is the library involved in the books available in their ebook catalog? How does this process differ from the way the library traditionally acquires books?

RM: The process is actually very similar in that Libraries typically work with third party book vendors instead of publishers to select and purchase titles. OverDrive and the publishers negotiate licensing agreements and decide which titles will be available. Libraries work with OverDrive to purchase the titles and offer the service.

C4: There have been some problems lately with libraries loaning out ereader devices, especially Kindles. Does SPL offer or plan to offer loans of ereaders like the Kindles?

RM: At this time, the Library does not have plans to lend e-readers.  We are monitoring the e-reader market and  the application of e-readers in public libraries.

C4: Can someone without a Seattle address get a library card in order to use the online collection?

RM: Many libraries offer the OverDrive service. Go here to see which libraries closest to you offer OverDrive.

Anyone who lives, works or owns property within the Library’s free service areas qualifies for free Library service (or the spouse or underage dependent of someone who does). You also can get a free card if you go to school in the service areas. Free service areas include: All areas of the cities of Seattle and Bothell, most of King County, except: City of Enumclaw, City of Renton, Yarrow Point and Hunts Point. You also qualify if you have a Library card issued by: Everett Public Library, Puyallup Public Library, Sno-Isle Libraries or Timberland Regional Library. The Seattle Public Library does offer people who live in Washington State, but who do not qualify for free service in other ways, a Non-Resident card for a yearly fee. See this page for more information.

C4: How do you feel about libraries offering ebooks? As a librarian, I would guess you have a soft spot for the physicality of paper books, but the advantages of ebooks (like portability, ease and thoroughness of archiving, and the potential of future cross-platform annotation) are pretty tempting, aren’t they?

RM: As a Library, we strive to provide access to ideas and information in the format most appropriate and relevant to the user. For any given title we might have it in print, large print, ebook, audiobook, digital audiobook, one of many world languages, DVD, or graphic novel.

C4: How would you define the traditional purpose of libraries? How do you see ebooks and the digitization of information fitting into that purpose?

RM: I would refer to the Library’s Mission Statement. Ebooks, digitized information and online services support the Library’s mission in a variety of ways. Ebooks are a responsive service. Ebooks are available any time of day or night and the user doesn’t even have to leave their house to access. Ebooks inform, enrich and empower, and extend the boundaries of the Library.

C4: Is a library necessarily a building? If not, what would it look like?

RM: The Seattle Public Library’s virtual services are our busiest “branch library.” Many people use the Library’s online databases, watch Tumblebooks or Bookflix (online book/video services for children), listen to podcasts of a library program, and check out ebooks, digital audiobooks, video or music CDs from OverDrive.