Why are publishers worried about e-books?

In recent years, the popularity of e-books has skyrocketed, with the American Library Association (ALA) estimating that one fifth of all books sold in the U.S. are now digital. While this is great news for readers, it has caused some publishers to worry about the potential impact on their sales.

One of the main concerns for publishers is the ease with which readers can borrow digital books from libraries. While libraries have traditionally been a great source of revenue for publishers, the ability to borrow digital books without having to purchase them has caused some publishers to worry that their sales will suffer.

In response to this concern, some publishers have decided to limit how and when libraries can access digital books. For example, some publishers have imposed restrictions on how long a library can loan out a digital book, or have made it so that libraries can only purchase a certain number of copies of a book.

In addition, some publishers have also started to charge libraries more for digital books than they do for physical books. This has caused some libraries to worry that they will not be able to afford to purchase digital books, which could lead to a decrease in the number of digital books available to readers.

Ultimately, it is understandable why publishers are worried about e-books. However, it is important to remember that libraries have long been a great source of revenue for publishers, and it is important that publishers do not limit access to digital books too much, as this could have a negative impact on both readers and publishers.