Libraries
claim to be places where readers can discover authors and titles, even more so
now that there are fewer traditional bookstores. However, unlike bookstores,
libraries generally aren’t able to monetize a patron’s enthusiasm over a new
find.
That might
change. On Feb. 18, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent to
Ronald Dicke and Gordon Freedman, both of Ottawa, ON, Canada, for a system to
enable libraries to sell e-books to borrowers.
Here’s how
it works: Once a borrower downloads an e-book to a reading device, the system
tracks how much of the e-book the borrower actually accesses. When the lending
period is almost up and the e-book is about to disappear from the device, the
system determines whether the borrower finished the book. If not, the borrower
receives an on-screen offer to buy the e-book on the spot and keep it
permanently.
The
assumption is that some borrowers may be willing to pay for the ability to
complete the book at their own pace. The system also allows borrowers to purchase
the e-book as a gift for another borrower, or even to donate another copy to
the library (although at three to four times the retail price, since the
library’s copy will be available for lending).
In effect,
the system would permit readers to try before they buy, giving them a way to
browse through an entire tome—not just a sample chapter or two—prior to
purchasing.