Have You guys seen this article in the Guardian about libraries & crazy publishers?

[caribsa89]

Borrowing ebooks beyond a library's walls

Publishers and distributors of digital commodities must stop trying to apply outdated physical restrictions to them

 

 

Several local authorities currently run ebook lending services in libraries whereby users can log on to the library website and remotely access a range of ebooks with suitable restrictions and digital rights management software. The Publishers Association propose to restrict ebook lending to the physical confines of library buildings: users would have to enter the library and download the ebook from a designated terminal.

 

The Publishers Association must be crazy. They are trying to take out the entire convenience of ebooks. I will be very angry if this come to pass.

 

Here's the entire article: guardian.co.uk

[Talisman]

If this helps to stop piracy, which is a big problem, and protects authors rights (which I suspect this is about) then I for one am all in favour.

[Donna]

As an e-book author I can see why publishers are very protective about their material. I've have my e-books pirated and put onto sites for free download. It's not a nice experience.

 

However, I think going into the library to download would be an inconvenience. It would put people off. Some publishers release there ARCs (advanced reading copies) as e-books now, you download them from the website, they are DRM protected and once you transfer them to your reader they automatically 'expire' within a certain number of days.

 

I don't know how the technical side of thing works, but maybe publishers should think of doing something like this for libraries.