"Are public libraries stealing the livelihoods of Japanese authors? So say writers and publishers as the number of books borrowed climbs while sales of books and magazines steadily decline."
given that libraries actually BUY books and make them available to those who don't perhaps they are. Of course Bookstore customers who will actually go so far as to pass on a book or lend it to someone else are not only hurting the authors but also the booksellers, distributers, etc. Oh what bad, bad people there are out there. Poor Japanese authors. There, there, I've never borrowed any of your books from a library. I will do my part by not reading your work no matter who gives it to me.
I work in the library of a small private college here in the states, and over the last few years, circulation has steadily risen, not just with students, but with alums, faculty, etc.
I think the real problem for publishers (worldwide) is the economic downturn. People have less money to spend on books, so naturally they will turn to an option that allows them to read what they're interested in for free (assuming they don't accrue fines for late returns. ).
It would seem to me (and admittedly, my knowledge of the Japanese economy and publishing business is limited) that the people in the book industry in Japan that are getting all upset and pointing fingers at libraries and second hand book dealers are in denial that a) the economy blows, and their product is a non-essential item, and b) the industry itself is riddled with problems (no discounts on new books ever?!? Sweet Zombie Jesus!). It's always easier to invent a villain and launch an attack on it than deal with the fact that your livelihood may just be tanking because of a messy industry and a messy global economy.
-sg
Posts: 242 | Location: Atlanta, GA | Registered: March 12, 2003
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