I had a conversation about books with a friend of mine and we came into the subjects of buying books vs borrowing books from a public library. He said that he likes to support the author and prefers to buy the books he reads.

This made me think. The answer is pretty clear when it comes to buying vs downloading a pirate copy, but in the case with libraries it seems incorrect to say that I’m not supporting the author, but I can’t say why.

What do you think?

  • Sandi_T@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I’m in the USA.

    Libraries get hard copies of books at cost. When a book is purchased at cost, there is no royalty paid on it.

    Digital copies of books are either sold or donated once to OverDrive, which is the service used for digital book lending by nearly all libraries these days. Once in OverDrive, the book belongs to them and there are no royalties for use.

    If you can afford to buy the book, buy the book.

    I made my book available at cost or free for libraries because since people are poor. I admit I hope people who aren’t poor will buy the book because libraries don’t in any way put food on my table.