Staff Reports
The liberal war on books continues as public libraries face a growing crisis with the skyrocketing costs of e-books and audiobooks. The West Haven Public Library in Connecticut is just one of many casualties in this battle as they struggle to keep up with the high demand and steep prices of digital literature.
High demand for e-books in libraries prompts push for new state laws against publishers https://t.co/cCyaF5hpmG https://t.co/cCyaF5hpmG
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 13, 2024
The exorbitant cost of leasing e-books is crippling libraries, with a single digital copy setting them back a whopping $55 compared to the mere $18 for a hardcover book. To add insult to injury, these digital copies often expire after a paltry one to two years or a mere 26 checkouts, leaving libraries scrambling to renew their leases and factor in the additional costs into their already strained budgets.
The West Haven Library has been hit hard, leasing over 276 e-books since 2021, with a staggering 84 of them no longer available and racking up a bill of over $12,000. That’s enough to buy around 800 physical books! If that doesn’t make you wanna shake your head, what will?
But hold the phone, the publishers are quick to defend themselves, arguing that the pricing is totally fair. They claim that allowing numerous readers to borrow a single e-book actually makes the per-reader cost cheaper. Try telling that to the librarians struggling to make ends meet!
In response to the crisis, librarians are crying out to Congress for help, urging lawmakers to clamp down on the costs of digital titles. Some are even pushing for regulations on licensing deals for e-books and audiobooks to expand access and reduce the agonizing wait times for users. It’s like they’re begging for Big Brother to bail them out!
The situation has escalated to the point where several states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Illinois, Hawaii, and New Hampshire, have proposed bills to make e-books more affordable. But the publishing industry isn’t taking this lying down, folks. They’re firing back, claiming that such measures would hurt the livelihoods of authors. The nerve of these publishers to act like they’re the real victims here!
With the battle lines drawn and tensions running high, it’s clear that the liberal agenda to undermine the printed word is in full swing. As readers around the world continue to embrace digital articles, the future of public libraries hangs in the balance. Will the conservatives rise up to defend the sanctity of literature, or will the liberal onslaught prevail? Only time will tell.
