Publishers have largely resisted e-book library lending because they're concerned it might undermine their own e-book sales.
CNN: E-book lending: Your public library's best kept secret?
So why is the publishing industry in a huff about e-book library lending?
Some library patrons reported waiting lists for popular e-books, or that the library e-book wasn't offered in a format compatible with their device.
CNN: E-book lending: Your public library's best kept secret?
Pew also found that 12% of all Americans age 16 and older who read e-books have borrowed an e-book from a library in the past year -- and they're generally pretty happy with the experience.
CNN: E-book lending: Your public library's best kept secret?
But evidence indicates that publishers may not have much to fear from library e-book lending -- just like they haven't been hurt by library lending of print editions of current bestsellers.
CNN: E-book lending: Your public library's best kept secret?
Furthermore over half of e-book users who also hold library cards told Pew that they prefer to buy -- not borrow -- their e-books.
CNN: E-book lending: Your public library's best kept secret?
This decision does not effect any e-book titles currently in library circulation.
FORBES: Penguin Group Has Halted Library Lending For E-Books
Of the six largest publishers in the U.S., only two have full-fledged library e-book lending programs: HarperCollins and Random House.
At least one major publisher is warming up to library e-book lending.
CNN: E-book lending: Your public library's best kept secret?
Before libraries and publishers can come together and agree how to solve the problem of library e-book lending, they probably will have to understand each other.
But, interestingly, slightly more library e-books borrowers told Pew that when they want to find an e-book, the first place they look is an online bookstore -- not the library.
CNN: E-book lending: Your public library's best kept secret?
Penguin, for instance, is embarking on its library lending pilot with e-book distributor (and German industrial giant) 3M, some say because it may not want to do business with OverDrive.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon will soon launch a subscription-based book service, charging a monthly fee for access to a library of e-books.
Going the digital route has certainly been a growing trend -- 3M recently launched a Cloud Library lending service while one Austrian town kicked off its own unique e-book repository based on stickers equipped with QR codes and NFC chips.
The Digital Shift blog is reporting that as of today, Penguin Group USA will no longer permit any library lending of its new e-book titles.
FORBES: Penguin Group Has Halted Library Lending For E-Books
HarperCollins sells e-books to libraries at prices comparable to those it charges consumers, but each e-book can only be lent out 26 times until the library has to buy another copy.
That looks to be on the tentative mend, as the publisher and 3M have together cut deals with the Brooklyn Public Library and New York Public Library to bring Penguin's e-book catalog back as part of a test program.
ENGADGET: Penguin slinks back into e-book lending for New York City libraries, with a possible catch
Imagine we wanted to continue with this glorious new e-book technology but at the same time wanted to preserve the library and the bookshop?
Modernise library services to expand the provision of superfast broadband and e-book lending.
Overdrive, which powers the back-end of e-book lending for thousands of libraries, has confirmed that Penguin is no longer allowing library lending of its new titles.
FORBES: Penguin Group Has Halted Library Lending For E-Books
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