My Public Library Limited eBook Access to Local Areas Only

[Annie]

So, I received an e-mail from my second home's public library yesterday. I could literally hear my happiness drop. I went from one day being able to check out book eBooks (my first time too!) to not being able to check any out at all. I have access to the eBooks at my real home's library, but I'm extremely disappointed that my home away from home's library decided to cut those off who have a different permanent address. I live there for more than 9 months of the year, so to me, I find it unfair. I understand that I'm lucky to get access at all, I suppose, but they have a much better selection when it comes to eBooks, but now I don't have that option anymore. I feel frustrated, since I was really looking forward to finally getting to borrow and read some books. Doesn't look like that's happening anymore. I actually just e-mailed them, but I don't know how lenient with their policy they will be. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Or do you think your library will be next?

[Ann in Arlington]

I guess my question would be, if you live THERE 9 months of the year, why isn't that your 'permanent' address?

I can't really blame a library system for limiting usage to folks who are in the community.  they have to pay for the books and if you've checked 'em out, the folks who pay taxes there don't have access.   Now, if you DO pay taxes there, and just use some other address for convenience, I think that would weigh in your favor. 

You might ask if there's a 'paid' membership you could purchase.  If this is an area that has a high number of 'part year' people, it might be something they'd look into.

[The Hooded Claw]

You mention living away from your real home for nine months of the year--Are you a student?  If so, you might inquire with the library to see if they have a special policy for students.  I haven't thought about college libraries in awhile, but I guess they probably aren't big on ebooks yet.

Although I sympathize with you feeling rejected and losing the service, I actually do understand the library wanting to focus services on their local market and the taxpayers who are their primary support!

[MariaESchneider]

The publishers have been pushing libraries to limit ebook checkouts to a smaller area (think the Philidelphia library which takes members from all over.)  There was an article discussing the publishers hope that they could legally not have their books in library systems that extended ebook lending past a certain physical address (usually the same country or city area that is defined for physical book check-out.)

I don't know that the decision is related, but it may be. 

It could also be that what overdrive charges the libraries for the check-out system is going up.  That may curtail libraries willingness to expand the program or to run the program over larger areas.  You should ask your library what led to the decision and tell us!  I'm curious!

[Annie]

You mention living away from your real home for nine months of the year--Are you a student?  If so, you might inquire with the library to see if they have a special policy for students.  I haven't thought about college libraries in awhile, but I guess they probably aren't big on ebooks yet.

Although I sympathize with you feeling rejected and losing the service, I actually do understand the library wanting to focus services on their local market and the taxpayers who are their primary support!

Yes, I'm a student. I work here too, so they take taxes out of my paycheck already. Then, there's technically property tax for my apartment that is already established within my lease contract.

I guess my question would be, if you live THERE 9 months of the year, why isn't that your 'permanent' address?

I can't really blame a library system for limiting usage to folks who are in the community.  they have to pay for the books and if you've checked 'em out, the folks who pay taxes there don't have access.   Now, if you DO pay taxes there, and just use some other address for convenience, I think that would weigh in your favor. 

You might ask if there's a 'paid' membership you could purchase.  If this is an area that has a high number of 'part year' people, it might be something they'd look into.

I go home during the summer, and I don't plan on staying there, which is why it's not my permanent address.

[cork_dork_mom]

Speaking from a librarian-point-of-view I would recommend you talk with the library director &/or the library board to see if a policy change could be made for students.

I'd be interested in how this turns out. We might be able to tweek our ebook check out rules at my library.

Good Luck

[TessM]

That's absurd. You pay taxes on your second home and some of those taxes support the local libraries. If you cn get a card to check out physical books you should be able to check out ebooks.


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[cork_dork_mom]

Not necessarily absurd... whoever owns the home & pays the taxes claims home library privileges. If a student owns the home then it would work, but if they're renting then no, they can't claim that as their #1 library.

I think libraries should make exceptions, especially when there's a unique community involved.

At our library (which is high school & public) we get our students a public library card that works for e-books only. Normally they use their school ID but if they're interested in downloading e-books we set them up with a public account. Works good for us.

[Eltanin Publishing]

I can see both sides of it. If a fairly big college is in a relatively small city, then you'd have thousands and thousands of students borrowing physical and ebooks, straining the library's resources. In my town, the students living on campus only recently received permission to use the city's library, and they have to pay $15 for a card. I'm sure there was some negotiation to include this service, when the university arranged its "payment in lieu of taxes" from the university to the city (a voluntary contribution, since the university is a non-profit and doesn't have to pay property taxes).

On the other hand, students who rent off campus have always been allowed to use the library, since they are paying rent and thus taxes (via their landlord).

[cheriereich]

I'm not sure how your library would work, but at the public library I used to work at, if you had something to prove you live at that address (i.e. a bill, etc.), then you could check out items. Of course, there are ways around it. If you know someone else in the area who has a library card, then you could see if you borrow off their card for ebooks.

Good luck with getting it straighten out!

[monkeygirl351]

Renting and owning a property shouldn't have anything to do with being able to check out library books. Otherwise all the renters in this country wouldn't be able to. I believe property taxes are factored in to rent, so renters are still in essence, paying their property taxes. Another crazy idea by publishers trying to bully the libraries into doing things their way.

[Eltanin Publishing]

Renting and owning a property shouldn't have anything to do with being able to check out library books. Otherwise all the renters in this country wouldn't be able to. I believe property taxes are factored in to rent, so renters are still in essence, paying their property taxes. Another crazy idea by publishers trying to bully the libraries into doing things their way.

1. Of course renting and owning matters - property taxes fund the library.
2. I never said there was a difference between renting and owning - in my city, both renters and owners can have a library card. But students living ON-CAMPUS have to pay extra, because they are not contributing to property taxes, because non-profit colleges don't pay property taxes.
3. The whole issue of who funds the libraries and who is eligible for a library card has absolutely nothing to do with what publishers want. Publishers have nothing to do with it. Bizarre that you would think it does.

[mom133d (aka Liz)]

However, as a student, I would imagine that the OP is returning to family who do live there and do pay taxes. That said, I live close to a major University. If you live, work or go to school in the area, you are eligible for a card at the public libraries. My privileges at my parent's library never changed. Perhaps that is because I used my parents address as my permanent address. But this was long before e-readers, so who knows what would happen now.

I do recall that the city that the University is in tried to charge students property tax on their vehicles since we were there 9 months of the year. I got their point, but even when they said they'd pro-rate the taxes for the school year didn't change the fact that the county where the car was registered was charging for the full year. They lost that battle since it was double taxation.

[Cindy416]

I received a similar email from the Kansas City Public Library yesterday. I live 100 miles away, but had been able to check out e-books. My local library in my little town doesn't offer e-books, and the library in the city/town where I do a lot of business, allows me to check out e-books, but their selection isn't very large. I can see the libraries' point of view, of course, and can't really complain.

[Annie]

They e-mailed me back, stating that if I bring a piece of documentation with my address of current residency, I can get access again. Too bad I have to wait until January, since I won't be back until then for school. But now, I have to find my rental contract or something with it on there. I don't generally get mail and all the utility bills are paid in my rent.

[Luvmy4brats]

They e-mailed me back, stating that if I bring a piece of documentation with my address of current residency, I can get access again. Too bad I have to wait until January, since I won't be back until then for school. But now, I have to find my rental contract or something with it on there. I don't generally get mail and all the utility bills are paid in my rent.

You're in an apartment? They can get you a copy in the leasing office.

[Annie]

You're in an apartment? They can get you a copy in the leasing office.

Yeah, I'll go to them if all else fails.

[fionashin]

GAH. Sorry to hear that, Annie! I love my library's electronic resources as now I can be a fully devoted coach potato who won't need to leave her house at all! (except for food. and work. and shopping. er....)

I heard that libraries actually pay quite a lot for each book they offer in ebook form...something like 6 digits for a single book or some other ridiculous number like that...?

[Annie]

GAH. Sorry to hear that, Annie! I love my library's electronic resources as now I can be a fully devoted coach potato who won't need to leave her house at all! (except for food. and work. and shopping. er....)

I heard that libraries actually pay quite a lot for each book they offer in ebook form...something like 6 digits for a single book or some other ridiculous number like that...?

Wow! That's crazy. Maybe it explains all the books I've never heard of that seem to float around in the virtual library, waiting for its next unsuspecting borrower.

[koland]

Not necessarily absurd... whoever owns the home & pays the taxes claims home library privileges. If a student owns the home then it would work, but if they're renting then no, they can't claim that as their #1 library.

So, those who only rent get no library privileges anywhere?

To the OP - just change your address on your library account. Take in a copy of an electric bill or something to show you are a resident (it's enough for your state, it should be enough for a library).

[cork_dork_mom]

All the libraries I've worked at (four in 25 yrs. of library-ing) require a photo ID and proof of current residence (utility bill, lease agreement, insurance card, etc.). I have heard of a library nearby that has a very restrictive policy on who can have free library cards and who must pay for a yearly membership.

We've just starting offering Overdrive for e-books and it's a huge success, which is good. The downside is that there are so many people using it (we're part of a consortium of libraries) that the popular titles all have huge waiting lists, which is bad.

Budgets are being squeezed for libraries (when haven't they been) so making the choice to buy 1 digital copy or 1 hard copy will be the new decision facing librarians.

[MariaESchneider]

All the libraries I've worked at (four in 25 yrs. of library-ing) require a photo ID and proof of current residence (utility bill, lease agreement, insurance card, etc.). I have heard of a library nearby that has a very restrictive policy on who can have free library cards and who must pay for a yearly membership.

We've just starting offering Overdrive for e-books and it's a huge success, which is good. The downside is that there are so many people using it (we're part of a consortium of libraries) that the popular titles all have huge waiting lists, which is bad.

Budgets are being squeezed for libraries (when haven't they been) so making the choice to buy 1 digital copy or 1 hard copy will be the new decision facing librarians.

This is the situation at my library--they have a shared thing going for overdrive, long wait lists and very restrictive of who can join.   Lots of surrounding areas can join for a fee.  When I first moved here it was 15 dollars a year.  It went up to 35 a few years ago.  But to join the Austin library system is 60 I think.

[Beatriz]

So, I received an e-mail from my second home's public library yesterday. I could literally hear my happiness drop. I went from one day being able to check out book eBooks (my first time too!) to not being able to check any out at all. I have access to the eBooks at my real home's library, but I'm extremely disappointed that my home away from home's library decided to cut those off who have a different permanent address. I live there for more than 9 months of the year, so to me, I find it unfair. I understand that I'm lucky to get access at all, I suppose, but they have a much better selection when it comes to eBooks, but now I don't have that option anymore. I feel frustrated, since I was really looking forward to finally getting to borrow and read some books. Doesn't look like that's happening anymore. I actually just e-mailed them, but I don't know how lenient with their policy they will be. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Or do you think your library will be next?

I still haven't used any ebooks from the library but I do sympathise with you.

[tubemonkey]

This is the situation at my library--they have a shared thing going for overdrive, long wait lists and very restrictive of who can join.   Lots of surrounding areas can join for a fee.  When I first moved here it was 15 dollars a year.  It went up to 35 a few years ago.  But to join the Austin library system is 60 I think.

I'm lucky, because the library systems in my area (western Washington) aren't so restrictive. Quite a few, if not most, have reciprocal borrowing agreements with neighboring systems and there are no fees associated with getting multiple library cards for those who qualify. The overwhelming majority of these libraries have ebooks; with three of them having some of the largest ebook collections in the country.

[MariaESchneider]

I'm lucky, because the library systems in my area (western Washington) aren't so restrictive. Quite a few, if not most, have reciprocal borrowing agreements with neighboring systems and there are no fees associated with getting multiple library cards for those who qualify. The overwhelming majority of these libraries have ebooks; with three of them having some of the largest ebook collections in the country.

Texas does have reciprocal borrowing agreements IF you are in the system somewhere.  Because parts of Texas are rural or outside city limits, we didn't have ANY library system without joining one.  So my little non-town didn't have one.  I could pay the 15 dollar fee and THEN I could borrow from other library systems in Texas (somewhat limited.  15 books and those I had to go pick up in person.)   So the ebook borrowing is possible, but I've not applied to any of the larger libraries (Houston or Dallas.)

[librarylady]

This has little to do with the library and all to do with the service that sells Kindle ebooks to libraries.  Take a look at this for an explanation (http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/2011/12/overdrive.html) or the editorial in yesterday's NY Times on the quandry libraries are in with ebooks. 

[mom2karen]

Philadelphia Free library has paid patrons and have the best catalog.  I don't think they have been restricted.  I wonder if there are different levels of overdrive that libraries buy that determine the books available to them.  That might explain the differences in books different libraries are seeing.