MONTROSE, N.Y. The Hendrick Hudson Free Library will offer six e-readers for loan on October 1. The e-readers will be preloaded with a variety of books, and will be available for a three week loan.
We are in the process of purchasing Simple Touch, said Hendrick Hudson Free Library Director Jill Davis, about the librarys new pilot program with e-readers. And well do training for the public, so we can show them how they can check items out from the library selection.
The new e-readers, while they save paper, dont save the library any money. The e-books cost more for libraries to purchase than traditional books because they are not offered to the libraries at a discount. Discounting books for libraries is a common practice among publishers, Director of the Croton Free Library Mary Donnery said 40 percent is the standard discount.
And as far as the price, said Davis, when we buy a book from Baker and Taylor, a distributor used by many area libraries, we get a deep discount, but when you buy an e-book there are no discounts. But really any book vendor, they always offer you a book discount for libraries.
What we purchase for the public is pretty much on Overdrive right now, she said of the e-book distributor, and they are the one flat market that pretty much everybody uses. Davis adds that once the market has more competition, from more publishers and distributors, she believes the price will fluctuate.
The e-reader program being launched at Hendrick Hudson Free Library is paid for by Entergy Nuclear, the owner and operator of Indian Point in Buchanan, N.Y., and is collaborative effort with the Field Library in Peekskill.
Donnery said that Croton residents will have to wait a little bit longer for an e-reader program to be launched. If these guys are successful, she said about Field Library and Hendrick Hudson Free Library, I can take their model. No need to reinvent the wheel.
For patron security, the Simple Tough e-readers will not be able to browse the internet, like a traditional Nook, which is also sold by Barnes and Noble. Training sessions will be available to the public, and other books are available for download from the Hendrick Hudson Free Library.
Click here to follow Daily Voice and receive free news updates.
