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By billk, April 14, 2011 10:58 am

…goodbyes.

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By billk, March 25, 2011 8:45 am

Even Slate’s getting into the act: 

Perhaps publishers will relent when they realize that lending and borrowing could increase sales. A raft of economic studies shows that secondary markets improve the market for new goods. This makes intuitive sense: You’ll be more likely to buy a new car if you know you’re allowed to resell it later; indeed, you might even pay more for a car with higher resale value. This model has been shown to apply to print books, too. In a 2005 paper, researchers Judith Chevalier and Austan Goolsbee (now the chairman of Barack Obama’s council of economic advisers) showed that when buying textbooks, students take into account the resale value and the likelihood of new editions. Another study showed that Amazon’s introduction of used books increased the online store’s overall book sales. Why? Because, as economist Hal Varian once explained, there seem to be two different markets for books—some people like to buy new books and others like to buy used books.

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By billk, March 24, 2011 9:46 am

You didn’t really want to spend (tens of) thousands of dollars a year to rent (tens of) millions of ebooks, did you?  But even if you did, seems like you won’t get that chance for a while now:

In a stunning setback, Judge Denny Chin today rejected the Google Book Settlement, some 13 months after its final fairness hearing. “In the end, I conclude that the [Settlement Agreement] is not fair, adequate, and reasonable.”

And either way, doesn’t “opt-in” just seem more, well, polite, than “opt-out”? 

… this leads into perhaps the most impassioned part of what is generally a fairly staid and restrained opinion: a discussion of whether a settlement could ever impose an opt-out system of assumed consent on copyright owners. It quotes liberally from Nimmer’s oral argument from individual authors who opposed the settlement, and from an “eloquent[]” (35) letter from two literary agents. All of them object to the idea that the burden is on them to step forward if they wish to object, instead of the burden being on Google to secure their permission. Judge Chin’s summary paragraph is worth reading closely:

While the named plaintiffs and Google would argue that these authors can simply opt out, the comments underscore certain points. First, many authors of unclaimed works undoubtedly share similar concerns. Second, it is incongruous with the purpose of the copyright laws to place the onus on copyright owners to come forward to protect their rights when Google copied their works without first seeking their permission. Third, there are likely to be many authors — including those whose works will not be scanned by Google until some years in the future — who will simply not know to come forward. (35-36)

As such, can a brother (from another mother) get an amen?

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By billk, March 16, 2011 2:30 pm

You’ve been burned plenty by NCAA basketball tournament every March – for example, their high seed notwithstanding, Pitt always seems to bow out in the early rounds.  Madness. 

This year, you’ve resorted to bias-free/agnostic alternative brackets, which somehow leave you with Wofford winning it all — that can’t be right, can it?  Anyhow, it’s getting late — in fact, it’s practically Midnight, and your bracket’s due to your bookie Acquisitions Assistant soon.     

Meanwhile, maybe you can save some vig budget with the following Alibris for Libraries coupon codes, now valid through March 25, 2011.

• MARCH:  $6 off orders (of $40 or more)
• MADNESS:  $30 off orders (of $200 or more)
• MIDNIGHT:  $75 off orders (of $500 or more)

Otherwise, you can still use the two-dollar-off coupon code LIBRARY on any and all smaller orders.  

Please let us know anytime you may have questions or concerns about these savings offers. 

Meanwhile, good luck, hail to Pitt, and go Wofford!





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By billk, March 9, 2011 11:07 am

Quick — how many so-called p-books in your library have circulated more than 26 times? 

In the first significant revision to lending terms for ebook circulation, HarperCollins has announced that new titles licensed from library ebook vendors will be able to circulate only 26 times before the license expires.

But of course, comparing the circulation numbers of ebooks to pbooks is like comparing apples to oranges – it can’t be done.  (Or can it? )

Either way, maybe the biggest question mark for HaperCollins is:  why 26?  

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By billk, February 23, 2011 12:04 pm

According to PW:

Open Library, a group of more than 150 libraries led by the Internet Archive, has announced plans to lend browser-based digital editions of e-books, beginning with a new, cooperative 80,000+ eBook lending collection of mostly 20th century books. Calling the plan a “new twist on the traditional lending model,” Open Library officials say the program could help increase “e-book use and revenue” for publishers.

Now, was that so hard? 

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By billk, February 15, 2011 2:57 pm

Just in time for (a belated) Valentines Day, herewith is posted the latest tally regarding the number(s) of books and listings on Alibris.com and Alibris for Libraries. 

Get ready, because the numbers about to be revealed are ginormihumougantigargantuan. 

As we type, Alibris and Alibris for Libraries can boast:  

• over 20,000 sellers, with
• over 10,000,000 titles, and
• over 100,000,000 listings, of
• books, songs, and movies, in all formats — but mostly books.

And the most important and/or interesting factoid of those stipulated above is the number of titles — over 10,000,000 titles, we’re saying.  (Alibris counts a unique author/title combination as one title, such that a hundred different editions of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, say, is one title, not one hundred.)

In fact, and not to put too fine a point on it, but as of February 9, 2011, the number of in-stock, in-inventory, for-sale titles (not editions, not copies, not volumes) Alibris offers is/was, pretty precisely:  10,102,052.   And the thing is, that’s more titles (yes?) than most libraries in the country, or world — way, way more. 

Accordingly, here’s a Big Idea:  while libraries have spent the past decade hunting and pecking in the Alibris database essentially looking for one book (or small list) at a time, wouldn’t it be fun to match a library’s entire database of holdings against the Alibris database, see what titles shake out as mutually exclusive?  

Would such a feat even be technically possible?  Or would it be too much like trying to measure the exact temperature (i.e., hott-ness) differential between Mercury andVenus?

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By billk, February 8, 2011 2:57 pm

…and Steeler fans:

Go Pack?

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By billk, January 24, 2011 11:52 am

Without (much) fanfare, Alibris for Libraries has awarded two lucky libraries Alibris Collection Awards: 

2011 winners
Spokane Falls Community College (Washington): promoting early literacy via multicultural folktales
Willard School, Warren City School District (Ohio): reducing the causes and effects of violence and bullying

 Right about now, at least these two libraries are feeling like the Steelers and the Packers.    

Yeah, you know what it is.

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By billk, January 3, 2011 12:27 pm

OK, so, you’ve braved the snow and the mud and the tinsel and the cookies, and you’re now back at the library and getting back to the business of some serious pointing and clicking.   And so far, 2011′s shaping up to be OK, what with more books available in more formats and at lower prices than ever. 

On top of which, there are still plenty of deals out there.  And your library’s not above taking up to 15% off larger orders when offered, right?  So you may as well enter the following coupon codes for every Alibris for Libraries qualifying order, now valid through January 14, 2011, right?

• YEAR:  $6 off orders (of $40 or more)
• END:  $30 off orders (of $200 or more)
• SAVINGS:  $75 off orders (of $500 or more)

Otherwise, you can still use the two-dollar-off coupon code LIBRARY on any and all smaller orders.   (Wondering:  is 2011 the year you’ll change the name of your indie/garage band to “The Two Dollar Coupons”?)

Please let us know anytime you may have questions or concerns about these savings offers. 

Meanwhile, happy new year.