A Guide to Buying Ebooks

Headnote

How to flex your library's purchasing muscle

Buying a print book is relatively easy. With the introduction of library ebooks in 1999, however, a once -straightforward process took on many complexities. Before starting, ask yourself why your library needs to purchase ebooks. Is it to expand a collection or to increase the buying power of a group of libraries? To replace existing print collections, offer new services, or experiment with new business models in the hope of saving money? Whatever the reason, it is imperative to keep your goals in mind.

How are ebooks more complex to buy than print? First, vendors require license agreements that contain terms of use and restrictions on access. Second, ebooks are priced differently. Instead of the traditional print list price (or list price with a discount), the price of an ebook is generally the list price plus a percentage. The final price is determined by the business model selected, the number of...