Utopia Talk - Politics - Publishers lose 1trillion to libraries

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Utopia Talk / Politics / Publishers lose 1trillion to libraries

pillz
Member Tue Jan 19 18:23:38
http://go-...ine-book-lending-costs-us.html

Friday, January 15, 2010
Offline Book "Lending" Costs U.S. Publishers Nearly $1 Trillion
Hot on the heels of the story in Publisher's Weekly that "publishers could be losing out on as much $3 billion to online book piracy" comes a sudden realization of a much larger threat to the viability of the book industry. Apparently, over 2 billion books were "loaned" last year by a cabal of organizations found in nearly every American city and town. Using the same advanced projective mathematics used in the study cited by Publishers Weekly, Go To Hellman has computed that publishers could be losing sales opportunities totaling over $100 Billion per year, losses which extend back to at least the year 2000. These lost sales dwarf the online piracy reported yesterday, and indeed, even the global book publishing business itself.

From what we've been able to piece together, the book "lending" takes place in "libraries". On entering one of these dens, patrons may view a dazzling array of books, periodicals, even CDs and DVDs, all available to anyone willing to disclose valuable personal information in exchange for a "card". But there is an ominous silence pervading these ersatz sanctuaries, enforced by the stern demeanor of staff and the glares of other patrons. Although there's no admission charge and it doesn't cost anything to borrow a book, there's always the threat of an onerous overdue bill for the hapless borrower who forgets to continue the cycle of not paying for copyrighted material.

To get to the bottom of this story, Go To Hellman has dispatched its Senior Piracy Analyst (me) to Boston, where a mass meeting of alleged book traffickers is to take place. Over 10,000 are expected at the "ALA Midwinter" event. Even at the Amtrak station in New York City this morning, at the very the heart of the US publishing industry, book trafficking culture was evident, with many travelers brazenly displaying the totebags used to transport printed contraband.

As soon as I got off the train, I was surrounded by even more of this crowd. Calling themselves "Librarians", they talk about promoting literacy, education, culture and economic development, which are, of course, code words for the use and dispersal of intellectual property. They readily admit to their activities, and rationalize them because they're perfectly legal in the US, at least for now.

Typical was Susanne from DC, who told me that she's been involved in lending operations for over 15 years. This confirms our estimate that "lending" has been going on for over ten years, beyond even Google's memory. Our trillion dollar estimate may thus be on the conservative side. Of course, it's impossible to tell how many of these lent books would have been purchased legally if "libraries" were not an option, but we're not even considering the huge potential losses to publishers when "used" books are resold for pennies on the black markets.

The communications backbone for this vast enterprise appears to be Twitter. Already, there is constant chatter on the #alamw10 hashtag. Most messages are clearly coded references to illicit transactions. For example a trafficker with the alias "@libacat" tweets "Have to be on the bus to the airport at 6:41 tomorrow morning to make it to the airport to get on my plane to #alamw10". At first glance, it seems like a mundane tweet about travel plans, but the breathtaking ordinariness and triple redundancy is more likely a secret code. How else to understand @scolford's (correction: retweet of @SonjaandLibrary replying to @BPLBoston) tweet; "curling my toes in joy at the thought of visiting your library"?

I've attended this meeting before. When I register for the book lending confab, I'll be presented with an encrypted document labeled the "program", which once decoded, will tell me where I can meet other book traffickers, discuss arcane trafficker lore, and drink trafficker beer. It's thick with secret code words like YALSA, LITA and NMRT, and no apparent rhyme or reason in its layout, evidently to frustrate outside investigators. I'll be lucky if I can find a bathroom.

Two places I'll be sure to find this weekend will be the OCLC Blog Salon on Sunday evening and the Chinatown Storefront Library on Saturday afternoon. Say hello if you see me.

A more serious post on Attributor is forthcoming.

Posted by Eric Hellman at 10:32 AM

-----

Libraries are out to ruin the economy and destroy the book industry.

Right Wing Troll
Member Wed Jan 20 11:34:58
Sounds like communism to me. I bet Obama is one of them Library guys.

NeverWoods
Member Thu Jan 21 13:47:50
Funny shit.

earthpig
GTFO HOer Fri Jan 22 08:52:13
well done, sir.

earthpig
GTFO HOer Sat Jan 23 12:29:46
this is a travesty. offline piracy is destroying literature!

i say we all locate the nearest public library, and burn it to the ground. along with all the pirated books inside. for our children, and our children's children.

garyd
Member Sat Jan 23 12:38:48
Apples and oranges. have anoy of you been to a public library lately?

earthpig
GTFO HOer Sat Jan 23 12:40:00
yes

Rugian
Member Sat Jan 23 12:40:58
I went to a university that had about 4 million books in its libraries.

Now let's see...if we take the $80,000 rate per song that that one woman was charged with an apply it to this situation...holy crap my university is liable for $320,000,000,000.

Nekran
Member Sat Jan 23 12:58:39
garyd
Member Sat Jan 23 12:38:48
Apples and oranges. have anoy of you been to a public library lately?

earthpig
GTFO HOer Sat Jan 23 12:40:00
yes

So... you gonna make a point garyd or you're gonna keep it at that?

garyd
Member Sat Jan 23 20:40:22
Sorry I got back as late as I did but it was the wifes turn on the computer and it is her sewing room. MOst of tose people at a library would or couldn't afford to buy the book in the first place ergot the loss to the publishers is at best nil.

GEt back to me when they start trying to shut down used book stores...

e
New Member Sat Jan 23 22:19:35
"M[o]st of t[h]ose people at a library would[n't] ... buy the book in the first place ergot the loss to the publishers is at best nil."

Huh.

ehcks
Member Sat Jan 23 22:20:38
Blasted auto-complete failed.

Anyway, how is that different than a music downloader that wouldn't have bough the music?

Clitoral Hood
The Bloody Scourge Sun Jan 24 03:40:34
the real issue people should be bringing up is public libraries lending out CD's.

NeverWoods
Member Sun Jan 24 05:33:41
Lol @ saying most book loaners can't afford buying books.
Garyd is still stupid with his claims, good to see that has not changed.

charper
Member Sun Jan 24 05:44:02
Libraries = Communism

saiko
Member Sun Jan 24 06:23:26
The biggest loaners are also the biggest buyers.

garyd
Member Sun Jan 24 09:14:18
Didn't say they couldn't afford it siad they wouldn't. Again get back to me when they start trying to close down used book stores.

And saiko is also correct. Libraries buy crap loads of books especially the uber expensive technical books and the market for those would be much smaller without them.

NeverWoods
Member Sun Jan 24 09:57:50
What does used book store have to do with libraries?

I'm a big loaner from libraries and also buy used books.
Both used book stores and libraries work very well together.

Also to add publishers don't make a time from used book stores ;)

NeverWoods
Member Sun Jan 24 09:58:58
"Didn't say they couldn't afford it siad they wouldn't."
Vs
"MOst of tose people at a library would or **couldn't afford** to buy the book in the"

pillz
Member Sun Jan 24 10:54:28
Businesses need to learn that their century old business models don't work anymore and adapt. Instead of adapting however, they would rather throw millions at changing how we think about content and waging war on the internet.

Movie Companies, Music Companies, Book Publishers, Media Corporations.

It's hard to understand how the people running these things could be so stupid.

Maybe in 10 years when younger people are in charge they'll change their plan.

show deleted posts

pillz Member	Tue Jan 19 18:23:38 http://go-...ine-book-lending-costs-us.html Friday, January 15, 2010 Offline Book "Lending" Costs U.S. Publishers Nearly $1 Trillion Hot on the heels of the story in Publisher's Weekly that "publishers could be losing out on as much $3 billion to online book piracy" comes a sudden realization of a much larger threat to the viability of the book industry. Apparently, over 2 billion books were "loaned" last year by a cabal of organizations found in nearly every American city and town. Using the same advanced projective mathematics used in the study cited by Publishers Weekly, Go To Hellman has computed that publishers could be losing sales opportunities totaling over $100 Billion per year, losses which extend back to at least the year 2000. These lost sales dwarf the online piracy reported yesterday, and indeed, even the global book publishing business itself. From what we've been able to piece together, the book "lending" takes place in "libraries". On entering one of these dens, patrons may view a dazzling array of books, periodicals, even CDs and DVDs, all available to anyone willing to disclose valuable personal information in exchange for a "card". But there is an ominous silence pervading these ersatz sanctuaries, enforced by the stern demeanor of staff and the glares of other patrons. Although there's no admission charge and it doesn't cost anything to borrow a book, there's always the threat of an onerous overdue bill for the hapless borrower who forgets to continue the cycle of not paying for copyrighted material. To get to the bottom of this story, Go To Hellman has dispatched its Senior Piracy Analyst (me) to Boston, where a mass meeting of alleged book traffickers is to take place. Over 10,000 are expected at the "ALA Midwinter" event. Even at the Amtrak station in New York City this morning, at the very the heart of the US publishing industry, book trafficking culture was evident, with many travelers brazenly displaying the totebags used to transport printed contraband. As soon as I got off the train, I was surrounded by even more of this crowd. Calling themselves "Librarians", they talk about promoting literacy, education, culture and economic development, which are, of course, code words for the use and dispersal of intellectual property. They readily admit to their activities, and rationalize them because they're perfectly legal in the US, at least for now. Typical was Susanne from DC, who told me that she's been involved in lending operations for over 15 years. This confirms our estimate that "lending" has been going on for over ten years, beyond even Google's memory. Our trillion dollar estimate may thus be on the conservative side. Of course, it's impossible to tell how many of these lent books would have been purchased legally if "libraries" were not an option, but we're not even considering the huge potential losses to publishers when "used" books are resold for pennies on the black markets. The communications backbone for this vast enterprise appears to be Twitter. Already, there is constant chatter on the #alamw10 hashtag. Most messages are clearly coded references to illicit transactions. For example a trafficker with the alias "@libacat" tweets "Have to be on the bus to the airport at 6:41 tomorrow morning to make it to the airport to get on my plane to #alamw10". At first glance, it seems like a mundane tweet about travel plans, but the breathtaking ordinariness and triple redundancy is more likely a secret code. How else to understand @scolford's (correction: retweet of @SonjaandLibrary replying to @BPLBoston) tweet; "curling my toes in joy at the thought of visiting your library"? I've attended this meeting before. When I register for the book lending confab, I'll be presented with an encrypted document labeled the "program", which once decoded, will tell me where I can meet other book traffickers, discuss arcane trafficker lore, and drink trafficker beer. It's thick with secret code words like YALSA, LITA and NMRT, and no apparent rhyme or reason in its layout, evidently to frustrate outside investigators. I'll be lucky if I can find a bathroom. Two places I'll be sure to find this weekend will be the OCLC Blog Salon on Sunday evening and the Chinatown Storefront Library on Saturday afternoon. Say hello if you see me. A more serious post on Attributor is forthcoming. Posted by Eric Hellman at 10:32 AM ----- Libraries are out to ruin the economy and destroy the book industry.
Right Wing Troll Member	Wed Jan 20 11:34:58 Sounds like communism to me. I bet Obama is one of them Library guys.
NeverWoods Member	Thu Jan 21 13:47:50 Funny shit.
earthpig GTFO HOer	Fri Jan 22 08:52:13 well done, sir.
earthpig GTFO HOer	Sat Jan 23 12:29:46 this is a travesty. offline piracy is destroying literature! i say we all locate the nearest public library, and burn it to the ground. along with all the pirated books inside. for our children, and our children's children.
garyd Member	Sat Jan 23 12:38:48 Apples and oranges. have anoy of you been to a public library lately?
earthpig GTFO HOer	Sat Jan 23 12:40:00 yes
Rugian Member	Sat Jan 23 12:40:58 I went to a university that had about 4 million books in its libraries. Now let's see...if we take the $80,000 rate per song that that one woman was charged with an apply it to this situation...holy crap my university is liable for $320,000,000,000.
Nekran Member	Sat Jan 23 12:58:39 garyd Member Sat Jan 23 12:38:48 Apples and oranges. have anoy of you been to a public library lately? earthpig GTFO HOer Sat Jan 23 12:40:00 yes So... you gonna make a point garyd or you're gonna keep it at that?
garyd Member	Sat Jan 23 20:40:22 Sorry I got back as late as I did but it was the wifes turn on the computer and it is her sewing room. MOst of tose people at a library would or couldn't afford to buy the book in the first place ergot the loss to the publishers is at best nil. GEt back to me when they start trying to shut down used book stores...
e New Member	Sat Jan 23 22:19:35 "M[o]st of t[h]ose people at a library would[n't] ... buy the book in the first place ergot the loss to the publishers is at best nil." Huh.
ehcks Member	Sat Jan 23 22:20:38 Blasted auto-complete failed. Anyway, how is that different than a music downloader that wouldn't have bough the music?
Clitoral Hood The Bloody Scourge	Sun Jan 24 03:40:34 the real issue people should be bringing up is public libraries lending out CD's.
NeverWoods Member	Sun Jan 24 05:33:41 Lol @ saying most book loaners can't afford buying books. Garyd is still stupid with his claims, good to see that has not changed.
charper Member	Sun Jan 24 05:44:02 Libraries = Communism
saiko Member	Sun Jan 24 06:23:26 The biggest loaners are also the biggest buyers.
garyd Member	Sun Jan 24 09:14:18 Didn't say they couldn't afford it siad they wouldn't. Again get back to me when they start trying to close down used book stores. And saiko is also correct. Libraries buy crap loads of books especially the uber expensive technical books and the market for those would be much smaller without them.
NeverWoods Member	Sun Jan 24 09:57:50 What does used book store have to do with libraries? I'm a big loaner from libraries and also buy used books. Both used book stores and libraries work very well together. Also to add publishers don't make a time from used book stores ;)
NeverWoods Member	Sun Jan 24 09:58:58 "Didn't say they couldn't afford it siad they wouldn't." Vs "MOst of tose people at a library would or couldn't afford to buy the book in the"
pillz Member	Sun Jan 24 10:54:28 Businesses need to learn that their century old business models don't work anymore and adapt. Instead of adapting however, they would rather throw millions at changing how we think about content and waging war on the internet. Movie Companies, Music Companies, Book Publishers, Media Corporations. It's hard to understand how the people running these things could be so stupid. Maybe in 10 years when younger people are in charge they'll change their plan.
	show deleted posts

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