Thursday Midday Links: Penguin engages in library lending pilot program
Publishing Newsdigital lending / Ravenous Romance27 Comments
Where the Hell is Matt? 2012 – YouTube. YouTube
I find this inspirational.
Library Journal Publisher Media Source Launches Book Reviews Database | Digital Book World – “In a move to develop a larger audience among librarians and eventually build a consumer audience, Media Source, publisher of Library Journal and other media properties focused on the library market, has launched a book reviews database, Book Verdict. The site launches with 300,000 reviews and the company calls it in a statement “the ultimate guide for book lovers.” The site will be updated weekly and 19,000 reviews will be added annually” DBW
Libraries Cut E-Book Deal With Penguin – WSJ.com – “Penguin Group and electronic-book distributor 3M MMM -0.32% have made a deal with two New York City public library systems that will return Penguin e-books to library shelves for a one-year pilot….The pilot, crafted to protect e-book sales, will delay the release of e-books to the libraries for six months after the titles go on sale in stores and online. Each library e-book will expire after a year.” WSJ
How has this not been created before? I’ll need to create a form for the DA site. In all fairness, we get very few public butthurt comments anymore.
And from my inbox. There were some rumors afloat that Ravenous Romance was looking to wind up their business. Lori Perkins, one of the founding members, is leaving this company (or has left already). I asked Ravenous about these rumors and was told the following:
Yes, Lori Perkins has resigned her position as Editorial Director of Ravenous Romance. Lori was a founding member of the company and brought many creative ideas that helped define Ravenous’s editorial vision, but it
was time for them to part ways, which they did so amicably. Holly and Allan wish Lori nothing but the best as she applies her talent to new opportunities.Ravenous will be hiring a replacement for Lori, and will make an announcement as soon as they have the right candidate in place. And contrary to the rumors, it’s business as usual at RR – all books currently under contract will go forward as planned, and new acquisitions will be overseen by Holly until a replacement for Lori is named.
Aw, that video really perked up my morning. Thanks for sharing!
an excellent letter to the DoJ about the lawsuit, from a consumer’s standpoint:
if the link doesn’t work, it’s here:
http://kindlenationdaily.com/2012/06/kindle-nation-dailys-letter-to-the-department-of-justice-in-the-doj-ebook-price-fixing-lawsuit-against-apple-and-five-publishers/
he really tears apart the B&N letter, and raises many other excellent points.
RE: the Penguin library e-book news – This, from the article, still irks me, though: “The renewable one-year expiration date on e-books, meanwhile, is designed to mimic the natural shelf life of print books.” Just like HarperCollins, Penguin has a completely unreasonable idea of what the shelf life of a print book happens to be. A year? Seriously?
@LG: I know. I’m reading our library’s copy of Body by Harry Crews, which was first checked out in November of 1991. The shelf-life for this book–slanted spine, wear to extremities, food stains, yellowing pages and all–is well into its 21st year.
How does this industry get to be so incredibly stupid and short-sighted and remain in business? Talk about A Bad Day for Sorry, these folks deserve some of Stella’s whupass.
As fitting as that Butthurt form is, it must be quite old – the only named platform is LiveJournal, that should be replaced with Facebook these days.
@LG: For a hot new book the waiting list is ridiculous. For one book, I’m #30 on the waiting list.
30 patrons ahead of me x 21 days per patron = 630 days before I can borrow the book.
@Darlynne: I’ve read books from my library that are much older than that (and are still in pretty good shape considering the multiple mendings). I have no idea how these companies have survived as long as they have, but I suspect if they don’t change their ways soon, many of them won’t be around in five years.
I just wanted to say thanks. While I enjoy all the reviews on this site, I really appreciate the industry info you give us as well. :)
One year shelf life? Really? As a library board trustee, I know just how silly that is. Small town libraries would never survive if they had to replace book stock that often. The general attitude of most publishers regarding library e-book lending programs is ridiculous.
That video is amazing.
That video? That’s what I want to see in multicultural romance. With fewer Americans and more Papua New Guineans.
Loved the video.
Penguin is nuts if they think paperbacks only last one year, even with heavy library usage. Or is that their goal? Are they thinking the rest of us should also have to buy new copies after one year? Morons! Which I hate to say because so many of my favorite authors write for them. Plus as I don’t live in New York, that means no Penguin library books for me.
I have a link to go with that video: http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/pictures-that-will-restore-your-faith-in-humanity There are lots of people willing to save animals from drowning.
@Brie: Between your link and the one Jane posted, I did the happy cry at work today.
Penguin’s lending policy gives me butthurt.
Thanks for the antidote in that amazing video, Jane.
Thank you, Jane and Brie–I really, really needed that. Thank you.
@Susan: Same here. It took me a while to stop blubbering.
Penguin remains on my “no buy” list with the exception of one autobuy author I refuse to do without.
Video = Happy Day :) Thank you for that.
Re: library. Have any of these purported businesses ever done any actual research? Market research, a study on how library lending leads to sales (or fails to, I guess), a study on how long an average book lasts on a library shelf…
It’s like their business decisions are made by throwing darts at an abstract mural on their office wall, and using a 1950’s Cereal Box Decoder Ring to interpret the results. How hard can it be to hire an intern to make some phone calls and collate the information?
Is Matt still doing those amazing “Where is” videos? I remember watching his first one years ago. Youtube was in its infancy then!
Just watched it. Matt has gotten better at dancing! Hee. His first one was still the best, though. He just did his thing and everyone stood around and looked on in amusement.
Loved the video. thank you :)
I live in League City, Texas!!!!!
One year shelf life for print books? That’s not the case in general, and I don’t understand where they’re getting this data.
And since most of us agree that print books last longer than 1 year… is this “one year shelf life” the new production quality goal of big publishers these days?
@Nadia Lee: They don’t have a high opinion of the quality of their print books, do they? Plus, as library addict mentioned, there’s that worrisome thought that publishers might start expecting individuals to buy new copies of their e-books every year. I’m sure it’s only the thought of the customer outrage they’d invite that keeps them from building some kind of timed locking feature into their DRM.
That video made my day when I saw it. Especially the part in Kyoto since I was just there. I didn’t dance there but I did run through the torii…
If we have world peace, it will be because of Matt. What a fabulous person.