1.

INTRODUCTION
Since the introduction of eBook, the debate between traditional physical book

or modern portable eBook has been a long and winding one. From parents to teachers,
writers to publisher, reader to distributors, all have their points and own arguments. In
fact it will take some time should we decide to list down the pros and cons according
to the group you belong too.
A person might ask, why does it matter if the book is in physical form or in
your smart phone? You still have to read it, digest the content, reflect on the moral
values in stilled and yes, you still need to pay for both version of book. However,
when we study the debate deeper, scrutinize both version of book, the difference is
just not because of the physical matter, it involves ownership, royalties, version,
copyright and many more.
To further understand the matter, first we need to understand what is meant by
eBook. EBooks were invented in 1971 by Michael Hart, a student at the University of
Illinois. Defining the word e-book depends largely on the context in which the term
in used. While Coyle describes an e-book as simply the electronic form of a literary
work, Anuradha, K.T. and H.S. Usha. considers an e-book to consist of both digital
content as well as physical devices, such as handheld e-book readers (2001, 314;
2006, 662). Rao S. defined it in his writing like this, e-books are comprised of texts
published in electronic form as well as physical books converted into digital form, and
also books in computer file format, or an electronic file of words and images of
monographic character, all of which can be displayed on a desktop, notebook
computer, or portable devises including dedicated e-book readers (2003, 86-87).
From this we can understand that basically eBook is reading material that in
portable and can be accessed at any time according to our convenience. It is different
from the traditional book since it does not have any physical body and is stored in the
electronic world.

Many have forgotten that any books belong to the library because this is the
place where everybody can reach them, enjoy them and gain knowledge from them.
Over the past several years, a large number of libraries have begun to offer electronic
books (e-books) to their patrons. The e-books provided to patrons are generally digital
versions of books that also appear in print. They contain the same content as the print
books, but are delivered in a different format. E-books offer a number of advantages
over their print brethren for both the patron and the library. For the patron, e-books
offer 24/7 availability, remote access outside the physical library, full text searching,
and copying and pasting of text and images. For the library, e-books require no shelf
space or re-shelving and are never lost, damaged, stolen, or overdue.
The problem that this paper wishes to highlight is the role of library in
sustaining the need of preserving physical book to their patrons and the importance of
library in having more physical book than investing on electronic books to add in their
collection. This paper will present four arguments namely the economic effect of
library, second the effect of restrictions, third the publishers interest and fourth the
purpose of a library. This paper will also discuss the benefit of having physical book
in the library compared to electronic book. Lastly this paper will conclude the
findings based on the points in motioned in this paper.

2.0

CONTENT
In this section, this paper will present four arguments that support the motion

on why library need to have and get more physical book instead of electronic books
for the benefit of the library itself as well as for the good of the library patrons
themselves.
2.1

COST EFFECT
As many of us who are involved directly or indirectly in the world of

purchasing and lending books to readers, it is widely accepted that purchasing books
is not something that is cheap, in fact purchasing books can bleed the heart of any
library management since this involve royalties to the book author as well as profit to
the book publisher.
Vacaro A. a writer in boston.com in their official website reported that the
thing about eBooks, though, is that libraries and consumers dont buy them, instead
paying for the mentioned license, which isnt covered by first-sale doctrine. And that
affords publishers the ability to set different prices for different customers. Their
justification for library pricing: Since libraries can lend eBooks out to what otherwise
might be customers, they should pay more to compensate for those perceived losses.
(http://www.boston.com/business/technology/2014/06/27/why-difficult-for-yourlibrary-stock-ebooks/rrl464TPxDaYmDnJewOmzH/story.html January 2013)
This only means that our library need to pay more on a book just because
publisher believes that eBook will never be considered loss from the library
catalogue. Since eBook is stored digitally, patrons or consumer will be given a time
frame to use the book digitally and should they ran out of time they can just simple
inform the library and pay for additional time to use the book. Publisher sees this as
advantage for the library to always have the book in their collection, since the book
will never be lost and thus increase the price of eBook without considering that library
too have other cost that needs to be attended too.
In a society where bookstores disappear every day while the number of books
available to read has swelled exponentially, libraries will play an ever more crucial
role. Even more than in the past, we will depend on libraries of the future to help
discover and curate great books. However, this fact alone is affecting the librarys
financially. Knowing for a fact that libraries are becoming more important for book
lovers, many book publisher and companies providing eBook are charging the
3

libraries management with expensive charges in order to have the book in the library
collection.
2.2

RESTRICTIONS
It is not widely known that eBook licensing models can be grouped into

several broad categories, including print, database and Open Access licensing
arrangements. This means an eBook actually can be downloaded, printed or stored
into our devises or referred to, however there is a catch to this matter. Anyone who
has experience with eBook know for a fact that getting an eBook into our devices
requires the borrower or patrons to comply to many restrictions as well as terms and
conditions that were invented to protect the right of the book author and publisher. On
one hand this is necessary to help protect the authors as well as book publisher.
However this can affect the library management where library too are bound to some
extent of regulation and restriction that can affect the library own credentials.
Owen V. et al in their research E-Books in Research Libraries: Issues of
Access and Use, 2008 stated that publisher regards the e-book as a print book;
meaning only one person can access the book for a given period of time. If the library
wishes to make the reading materials to be more accessible for many patrons, library
management must buy more additional copies or subscriptions to the work. To make it
simple, this means in order to make a business study book to be available for many of
our business study students, we need to buy more than one item of the same book so
that our students reader will be able to get the book when they need it. This makes no
sense since it shows no difference between us getting a physical book of the same
kind and an Ebook. The only visible difference will be, us paying more on one single
eBook that might be equal to two physical books of the same subject.
Another example is restriction of usage. One eBook can not be assessed by
more than one reader; regardless of the fact that eBook can be easily accessed by the
reader and at their own convenience. Publisher restricts library from allowing another
copy to be lent to another patron should the library had only purchased only one copy
of the book. Owen V et al mentioned in their writing (p.6, 2008) that this situation is
actually the opposite of what library is supposed to be that is to make reading
materials available easily for their patrons.
One sample of the restriction is called the DRM technologies ( Owen et al,
2008, p. 6) that restrict eBook content from being converted into other forms of copy.
4

This means, if a blind person wants to get an eBook that has DRM restriction, it will
be impossible for him or her since DRM (Digital Rights Managements) restriction
does not allow eBook purchaser from converting the reading material to be available
in Braille format.
Libraries desire widespread access to electronic material through shared
technological platforms and the full right to use copyrighted material for educational
advancement within the limits prescribed by law These conflicting sets of values have
led to issues of power in the development of business models for ebooks
(Owen V. et al, E-Books in Research Libraries: Issues of Access and Use, 2008)
The quote above shows how eBooks can be a matter that go against the value
up hold by libraries like us. This is a matter that does not go along with the main
purpose of a library such as ours where we believe that every one of our patrons have
the right to access the book that they want to read regardless of their disabilities.
Having a physical book helps our disable patrons to access the book since there are no
restrictions on physical book to be translated into another form such as into Braille
format. This is what our library should look deeper, to be more humane and care for
the needs of other people.
2.3

PUBLISHERS INTEREST
We are all aware that the process of getting a book from the author to the

public is a long process and involves many bodies including the publisher that plays a
huge role in printing, promoting, selling and giving the author his share of the book
sale. It is from the publisher that library like us get to know and be introduced to new
books and we buy these books from them. It is quite impossible for library like us to
know what books we should take without the help of publishers.
Never the less, publishers need to make some income for themselves as well
as for the authors of the books. When eBook was introduced, publishers see this as
something that will lessen their cost of printing the books however the eBook sold to
us are still very costly despite the fact that it is now paperless and no printing cost are
involved in their part.
Another matter that causes publishers becoming more aggressive when it
comes to selling eBooks to libraries is due to the fact that many libraries are looking
toward working with smaller and independent publishers, directly with authors, and
5

with content distributors to provide more resources to readers according to the

American

Library

Association

in

their

official

website

in

2013

(http://www.ala.org/news/state-americas-libraries-report-2013/ebooks-and-copyrightissues October, 2015)

With all these competition it can be understood why big company publisher
become impose many restriction and put up many type of licensing to their eBook,
however based on the relations that has been established, publisher should be more
considerate towards libraries that want their books to be available in the libraries
catalogue. Hiking up prices very high and putting more that two restrictions towards
an eBook only make it even harder for the publisher to sell their book.
For publishers, the library will be the showroom of the future. Ensuring that
libraries have continuing access to published titles gives them a chance to meet this
role, but an important obstacle remains: how eBooks are obtained by libraries.
According to Vinjamuri D. (Forbes : The Wrong War Over eBooks: Publishers Vs.
Libraries, December 2012) the issues of libraries and publishers over eBooks involves
three major matter, which are: how much they should cost, how they can be lent and
who owns them. This issue is still on going and will only be resolved when the two
bodies are able to see eye to eye over each matter.
As a library, we fully support the effort of these publishers knowing for a fact
that many bookstores are not purchasing eBook from publisher since readers can
conveniently purchase the eBook online directly from the publisher. However
unbelievable price mark up only that leaves libraries to spend more money on
something that have small circulation and not to mention fewer books are something
that should not be happening. It is only fair that publisher give a little for libraries by
offering libraries lower price so that libraries can make it available for more patrons.
It is a win-win situation actually. However this is from our point of view only and we
might face counter argument from publisher should we confront them with this
matter.
In short, the matter of publishers interest will be a long and winding argument
in which will only hurt libraries since we need to wait for publishers agreement and
while that is happening, we the libraries will end up waiting. This can be cut short
should we get a physical book there is no hassle involved and less argument that will
arise.

2.4

THE PURPOSE OF A LIBRARY

Many believe that by having eBook it will be less burden for the libraries since

we do not have to prepare large bookshelves, look after the book physically and
organize it, sort it, catalogue it and many more. Many also fail to see that by having
eBooks, libraries will now need to prepare itself for data storage, reliable server, IT
technician, internet hackers and many more that comes hand in hand with the world of
information technology. Coffman S. Vice President, Library Support Services in his
article

The

Decline

and

Fall

of

the

Library

Empire

(http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/apr12/Coffman--The-Decline-and-Fall-of-theLibrary-Empire.shtml April 2012) stated that libraries now have migrated from
providing books for young readers to build their knowledge into providing access to
online databases to cataloguing the web then providing computer terminals and now
broadband access as information technology has rapidly changed.
It is not to say that our library needs to be old fashion or reject changes. It is
only a self reminder that with the need to be on par with the need of accessing
information rapidly growing, it is our duty as an institution that instil the need to
appreciate good reading materials to up hold this belief. Furthermore, having more
collection of eBook now, create burden among librarians. This is because now they
need to be on par with the latest information technology skills which do take some
time for them to master. It is enough that libraries are struggling with the copyright
issues of eBooks, librarians role now become curators and promoters of reading in an
age where publishing is exploding, dealing with technology intermediaries and
gaining access to the newly available wealth of self-published works.
As a librarian, it is not that we reject new technology but when handling
electronic books is consuming most of our time and making us look at the desktop or
laptop most of our working time, a librarian role as guardians of the physical book
seems to diminish. Besides, even though it is wrong to talk in the library, its still a
pleasure to be able to help a young reader to get their favourite book. You do not have
that privilege when you are interacting with a borrower of an eBook.
In short, getting more eBooks only makes the library even a lonely place to be
and only busier in the virtual world. That I believe is not the purpose of a library.

3.0

SUGGESTIONS
From the findings above, I believe that there are ways to help this library from

getting left behind in the race of being a library that stores and can provide up to date
book collection in our catalogue.
First, buy eBooks that has big circulation, for example books for
undergraduate students or for researchers. This way, the library will not spend on
eBooks that is not popular save the library cost from purchasing expensive but less
circulated eBooks.
Second, get eBooks from publisher that imposes less restrictions and
limitation for our patrons. This will help the library to be more user friendly and at the
same time maintains good repo with book publishers.
Third, get eBooks directly from author that self publish their own book. This
will help in making the library from spending too much on eBooks published from
giant companies that usually impose high price on the eBooks that they published.
4.0

CONCLUSION
This paper has presented the argument of having more eBooks for the library

and listed four problems that arise from getting more eBooks for the library namely
economic effect of library, second the effect of restrictions, third the publishers
interest and fourth the purpose of a library.
All four problems are seen as problems since it is causing the library to spend
more on each problem. The cost involved money and time as well as human resource
that the library owns. As a librarian in this institution it is my responsibility to present
this facts and hope the library management will consider these problems before
deciding on getting more eBooks for the library.
This paper then provide some suggestions that in my humble opinion will help
the library in its effort to maintain a good reputation with publisher but at the same
time help the library to watch its budget. The three suggestions mainly cover the four
problems mentioned in the paragraph before.
In a nut shell, this paper conclude that having eBooks in our library collection
is a good effort since it helps the library to be a library with wide collection as well as
consider patrons need to have good quality reading or reference materials.

5.0

REFFERENCES

1.

Anuradha, K.T. and H.S. Usha. Ebooks access models: an analytical

comparative study. The Electronic Library, Volume 24, Number 5, 2006 , pp.
662-679.

2.

Rao, Siriginidi. Electronic books: a new genre of content management. 2003.

http://www.saoug.org.za/archive/2003/0306a.pdf

3.

Coffman S., The Decline and Fall of the Library Empire (April 2013)
(http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/apr12/Coffman--The-Decline-and-Fallof-the-Library-Empire.shtml)

4.

Rao, Siriginidi. Electronic books: a review and evaluation. Library High Tech,
Volume 21, Number 1, 2003, pp 85-93.

5.

Owen V., Tiesen R., Weir L., Desroches O. & Noel W. E-Books. Research
Libraries: Issues of Access and Use. 2008