Macmillan Library Embargo Update - Various

This has been a tough day for Panzer. He had hardly settled into his little kitty bed, when he was shaken onto the floor by howling and yowling coming from the Catosphere. Jumping into the Panzermobile our traveling kitty boy followed all the hullabaloo to the Motherboard site first and then on to The Digital Reader site. Both sites take publisher Macmillan to task for the company's library embargo. Panzer has been telling you about this ongoing battle since it started.

According to Motherboard's Matthew Gault's post, Macmillan is using flawed logic and incorrect numbers to support its library embargo. Macmillan claims library readers are the cause of the company's book sale losses and, therefore, the embargo to not let libraries have copies of new ebooks until two months after publication is justified. The post points out libraries pay three or four times more for an ebook than a regular purchaser. Once the book has been checked out 52 times or "owned" by the library for two years, the library must buy another copy. The post contains extensive quotes from Overdrive's Steve Potash disputing Macmillan's claims.

The Digital Reader's Nate Hoffelder's post, addresses an increase in the number of libraries that will no longer purchase Macmillan ebooks.. The number of libraries and library systems has grown from one to four. More than one library is included in a library system. One of the participants, the King County Library System, has 50 libraries. The post contains links to other information about the libraries' efforts. There's also a link to a notice some libraries are using to tell patrons that Macmillan's new policy is why they can't get a book they want from the library.

I don't want to wash those shoes.

Panzer says, "This little kitty thinks Macmillan stepped in a big pile of stinky stuff."

Note: This will be a humongous read. Bring a gallon of tea and a dozen muffins for today's reading selections. If you plan to follow the links, bring another gallon of tea and another dozen muffins.

To read the post at Motherboard tootle over to Macmillan library embargo

To read the post at The Digital Reader tootle over to libraries boycotting Macmillan

Macmillan publishes a work of fiction - Steve Potash of OverDrive

Today, Panzer decided to make a stop at OverDrive's Steve Potash's blog. OverDrive is the service which lets patrons check out ebooks from the library. The post our traveling kitty boy found is about publisher Macmillan's library embargo. Panzer told you about the library embargo a few days ago.

I don't think this will last very long.

According to founder and CEO of OverDrive Steve Potash, publisher Macmillan's recent statement of the company's reasons for placing an embargo on libraries is total fiction. In the embargo Macmillan won't allow libraries to loan the company's new ebooks until eight weeks after they've been published. In the post each of Macmillan's reasons for the embargo are discussed and shown to be unjustified.

Panzer says, "This little kitty thinks this embargo thingy is pretty silly even for humans."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a half a thermos of tea  and three muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Macmillan

To read Panzer's previous post about Macmillan tootle over to Macmillan library embargo

Rakuten Acquires OverDrive

I need to look into this.

Panzer found an interesting post over at the Publishers' Weekly site today.

In a post by Jim Milliot, our inquisitive kitty reporter learned that OverDrive is being acquired by the Japanese company Rakuten.  The $410 million deal should close in April. According to the post, Steve Potash, founder of OverDrive, will remain with the company, so things should stay the same at OverDrive. Kobo is still a viable company even after Rakuten's acquisition three years ago, so we can hope.

Panzer says, "If you have your books with Smashwords, then you have the option to distribute to OverDrive. Let's hope that doesn't change."

To read the full post, tootle over to OverDrive