I had a conversation about books with a friend of mine and we came into the subjects of buying books vs borrowing books from a public library. He said that he likes to support the author and prefers to buy the books he reads.
This made me think. The answer is pretty clear when it comes to buying vs downloading a pirate copy, but in the case with libraries it seems incorrect to say that I’m not supporting the author, but I can’t say why.
What do you think?
Sure, authors receive compensation through various channels when libraries acquire their works. When libraries purchase physical copies of books, authors typically earn royalties from the sale of these books. Similarly, when libraries acquire digital licenses for e-books or audiobooks, authors receive payment based on the terms of the licensing agreement. These agreements often involve royalties or payments negotiated between the author, publisher, and the library system. Additionally, some libraries participate in programs that compensate authors for the lending of their books through initiatives like the Public Lending Right (PLR) or similar systems, which provide authors with a small payment per loan of their books from libraries. Overall, the ways in which authors are remunerated for library acquisitions involve a combination of sales royalties, licensing agreements, and specific programs designed to support authors for their contributions to the literary world.