E-book demand stretches Indianapolis Public Library budget
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E-book restrictions and costs are forcing local libraries to make tough choices as the popularity of digital checkouts grows.
Why it matters: Loan limits and price disputes between libraries and publishers threaten to limit patrons' access.
- Without a change, the Indianapolis Public Library could face a budget crisis within the next few years.
The big picture: E-books and digital audiobooks experienced a surge in popularity during the pandemic when physical libraries were closed.
- Digital checkouts have continued to grow since 2020, increasing from 2022 to 2023, said Deb Lambert, chief collection management officer for IPL.
The problem: Library budgets can't keep up with the increasing demand for the more expansive e-book licenses, which publishers typically require libraries to renew every one or two years, or after a set number of loans, usually 26 or 52.
- The limits are particularly problematic for bestsellers, Lambert said.
Case in point: IPL has 125 e-book copies of "The Women" by Kristin Hannah which was published in February. The e-book was checked out 1,025 times and had 1,044 holds as of last week.
- Each copy costs $60, for a total of $7,500.
- The library's 81 physical copies of the book cost about $30 each, for a total of $2,430, and had 335 holds.
Between the lines: The physical books, though, only need to be replaced when they receive too much wear-and-tear, while the digital licenses expire after two years.
- Lambert says publishers are trying to replicate how libraries weed out and replace physical copies, but the strategies are going too far.
Stunning stat: Digital checkouts comprise almost a third of IPL's circulation and about half of its materials budget.
- There were 5,625,927 physical checkouts last year and 2,399,039 electronic checkouts.
What they're saying: "As demand shifts from physical to e-content, we are not getting nearly as much content for our dollars' worth," Lambert said. "That's a problem. We don't have a budget that can make that shift."
- Already, the library is putting any new dollars in its materials budget toward e-books and digital audiobooks but it can't shift much more and still be able to keep shelves full at its 25 library branches.
The other side: The Association of American Publishers argues that it must protect authors' rights to be fairly compensated for their work.
What we're watching: About a dozen states have shown interest in taking up model e-book legislation drafted by Harvard librarian and lawyer Kyle Courtney to prohibit many of the restrictions next year.