| "In this digital age, the custodians of published works | | | | a-la Rosetta's expiring e-book. |
| are at the center of a global copyright controversy | | | | Distributor Baker & Taylor have unveiled at the recent |
| that casts them as villains simply for doing their job: | | | | ALA a prototype e-book distribution system jointly |
| letting people borrow books for free." | | | | developed by ibooks and Digital Owl. It will be sold to |
| (ZDNet quoted by "Publisher's Lunch on July 13, 2001) | | | | libraries by B&T's Informata division and Reciprocal. |
| It is amazing that the traditional archivists of human | | | | The annual subscription for use of the digital library |
| knowledge - the libraries - failed so spectacularly to | | | | comprises "a catalog of digital content, brandable |
| ride the tiger of the Internet, that epitome and apex of | | | | pages and web based tools for each participating |
| knowledge creation and distribution. At first, libraries, the | | | | library to customize for their patrons. Patrons of |
| inertial repositories of printed matter, were | | | | participating libraries will then be able to browse digital |
| overwhelmed by the rapid pace of technology and by | | | | content online, or download and check out the content |
| the ephemeral and anarchic content it spawned. They | | | | they are most interested in. Content may be checked |
| were reduced to providing access to dull card | | | | out for an extended period of time set by each library, |
| catalogues and unimaginative collections of web links. | | | | including checking out eBooks from home." Still, it |
| The more daring added online exhibits and digitized | | | | seems that B&T's approach is heavily influenced by |
| collections. A typical library web site is still comprised of | | | | software licencing ("one copy one use"). |
| static representations of the library's physical assets | | | | But, there is an underlying, fundamental incompatibility |
| and a few quasi-interactive services. | | | | between the Internet and the library. They are |
| This tendency - by both publishers and libraries - to | | | | competitors. One vitiates the other. Free Internet |
| inadequately and inappropriately pour old wine into new | | | | access and e-book reading devices in libraries |
| vessels is what caused the recent furor over e-books. | | | | notwithstanding - the Internet, unless harnessed and |
| The lending of e-books to patrons appears to be a | | | | integrated by libraries, threatens their very existence |
| natural extension of the classical role of libraries: | | | | by depriving them of patrons. Libraries, in turn, threaten |
| physical book lending. Libraries sought also to extend | | | | the budding software industry we, misleadingly, call |
| their archival functions to e-books. But librarians failed | | | | "e-publishing". |
| to grasp the essential and substantive differences | | | | There are major operational and philosophical |
| between the two formats. E-books can be easily, | | | | differences between physical and virtual libraries. The |
| stealthily, and cheaply copied, for instance. Copyright | | | | former are based on the tried and proven technology |
| violations are a real and present danger with e-books. | | | | of print. The latter on the chaos we know as |
| Moreover, e-books are not a tangible product. | | | | cyberspace and on user-averse technologies |
| "Lending" an e-book - is tantamount to copying an | | | | developed by geeks and nerds, rather than by |
| e-book. In other words, e-books are not books at all. | | | | marketers, users, and librarians. |
| They are software products. Libraries have pioneered | | | | Physical libraries enjoy great advantages, not the least |
| digital collections (as they have other information | | | | being their habit-forming head start (2,500 years of first |
| technologies throughout history) and are still the main | | | | mover advantage). Libraries are hubs of social |
| promoters of e-publishing. But now they are at risk of | | | | interaction and entertainment (the way cinemas used |
| becoming piracy portals. | | | | to be). Libraries have catered to users' reference |
| Solutions are, appropriately, being borrowed from the | | | | needs in reference centres for centuries (and, lately, |
| software industry. NetLibrary has lately granted multiple | | | | through Selective Dissemination of Information, or SDI). |
| user licences to a university library system. Such | | | | The war is by no means decided. "Progress" may yet |
| licences allow for unlimited access and are priced | | | | consist of the assimilation of hi-tech gadgets by lo-tech |
| according to the number of the library's patrons, or the | | | | libraries. It may turn out to be convergence at its best, |
| number of its reading devices and terminals. Another | | | | as librarians become computer savvy - and computer |
| possibility is to implement the shareware model - a trial | | | | types create knowledge and disseminate it. |
| period followed by a purchase option or an expiration, | | | | |