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But what about library e-books at home, Bill G?
July 24, 2006 | 5:01 am
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By David Rothman
“Everybody should have all the books they want at the library.” – Bill Gates in a recent MTV appearance.
The TeleRead take: But what about e-books, Bill–free library e-books at home, where so much learning takes place? And will your foundation help pay for them? I’ve been asking this question for years. I wonder what Warren Buffett, who’s counting on you to distribute tens of billions effectively, would have to say. Here you have several rare editions of The Great Gatsby at home but won’t pay to get your favorite book on the Net.
At the same time we’ve got stingy pols who won’t fund public libraries as well as they should be. The public can’t win.
While library books are online, there are too few of them, and they’re pathetically hobbled with truly loathsome DRM, especially of the Adobe or Mobipocket variety. Ironically Microsoft, founded by Carnegie II, doesn’t seem to be as big a player in the library market right now–although I suspect that will change when Microsoft gets more serious about WordPerfectizing Adobe.
I remain active in a project to get free copyrighted books on the Net, with fair pay for authors and estates, and the librarians and I would love to hear from corporations or philanthropists with more vision on this matter than Bill and his foundation apparently have.
Coming later today:: Thoughts on Yahoo’s release of a DRMless file of a Jessica Simpson song.
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Comments:
What you are looking for is something that I have spent the past 5 years trying to do. In the end…I found out that the best way to do something was to do it yourself. We started Bookyards ( http://www.bookyards.com )….a free online library based in Canada (copyright laws are different here)….for the sole purpose of providing educational and reference material to all who have an internet connection.
My original intent was to do a simple demo-model to show what was possible….followed by then searching, requesting, and obtaining funding and financial support from governments / charities / or foundations. Unfortunately, when we started looking for funding we observed that monies that were made available were already committed to other online library projects……which ….. naturally ….. were then never completed.
This failure in delivering finished products have given the entire online library field a “black eye”. Google’s attempts to digitize a million and a half books has also given the impression to everyone that they should do nothing since the “big players” will do everything instead.
This perception…. which is wrong….is unfortunately the reality of today.
As for ourselves at Bookyards, we have always continued doing what we know best. I am confident that with time, proper marketing and promotion, as well as providing a good product, we will in the end accomplish the goal of having user friendly libraries online a reality.
For your info, we have categorized over 350 libraries that are presently online…it is located at http://www.bookyards.com/links.html?category_id=1780
Also for your info….Gutenberg alone has 2,000,000 download requests per month from its ebook library. The need and demand for such services is clearly there.
Thanks for the note, Victor, and best of luck with your project. Ours will differ from both your efforts and PG’s. As for the Google comment, I certainly agree. Google’s excursion into books has harmed independent e-library projects whose business models would be friendlier to libraries and schools. “Do no evil?” Well, unwittingly, the G boys have been Darth Vaders to independent library efforts. Like you, we’ll persist. Thanks. David