ACPL offers several options for e-books, demand is increasing

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The Allen County Public Library (ACPL) discussed the process of purchasing and repurchasing e-books as well as the growing demand for e-books on Friday.

OverDrive and Midwest Tape are suppliers of the ACPL. These companies have platforms, one of which uses the ACPL, Hoopla. Another platform is Libby. Both allow users to read and listen to audiobooks. Hoopla offers music and movies.

Matthew Etzel, Director of Collection Services at ACPL, explained how the e-book buyback works.

“Unlike print books, which we buy and keep until they wear out or lose popularity, e-books are typically returned within two years of purchase,” Etzel said. “To meet demand, we would then have to buy the book again at the same price as the last time.” And about 30% of all the books we buy are returned.

Etzel added that about 30% of all e-books the library purchases are repeat purchases. For the ACPL, purchasing an e-book can be expensive, depending on its popularity.

“If you buy a Kindle book on Amazon, you generally pay between $10 and $20 for the rental fee,” Etzel said. “With us, the rental fee for an average book is about $15, and more well-known authors tend to have higher salaries, you’ll pay over $60.” “Some e-books, especially audiobooks, are very expensive. We pay up to $150 for a single copy,” Etzel said.

The ACPL always monitors new releases in advance to meet demand for popular titles.

The demand for e-books is growing daily; according to ACPL, about 25% of all library loans are e-books.

If you do not already have one, the ACPL encourages the community to apply for a library card so you can take advantage of all the resources offered.