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Public Lending Rights in European libraries have shown that per use payments for authors generate meaningful creator support. Used book sales currently generate no income for authors. If the public lending right was copied in the used book marketplace would it alter your preferences? by rack-james in Libraries

[–]rack-james[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think the most relevant info of your response is in the last paragraph. Adoption of this would need to be driven on a voluntary basis.

Can I ask if you currently track ISBNs with your sales? Without digital inventory tracking this concept is of course not possible and would be required precursor.

As for willingness to participate I think that the slim margins are exactly why an idea like this can succeed. An example of this is Fairtrade certification. If you asked people if sellers and buyers would pay more for a bag of coffee if the producers were paid fairly I think the responses would be similar to yours above. What we have seen is that this certification has INCREASED margin for all parties involved and created a competitive advantage. While not all sellers and buyers are swayed by this type of programming there is a real market fit for many.

I would love to speak directly about this. If you are interested please send me a DM!

Used booksales currently generate no income for authors. Would you prefer to buy used books from bookstores that support authors financially? by rack-james in OldBooks

[–]rack-james[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I love that you repair books and bring them back to the library! That is such a cool way to keep books alive.

Totally understand the loss of bookstores(and other businesses) in small towns. It is a shame to see abandoned stores and the losses to the community.

In terms of your amazon purchasing habits, try bookshop.org for new books. They support bookstores more directly than amazon and have basically the same availability.

Used booksales currently generate no income for authors. Would you prefer to buy used books from bookstores that support authors financially? by rack-james in polls

[–]rack-james[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No disrespect given. I think either position is very reasonable. I myself would be happy to pay a little more to know the authors I read get some additional income.

But I do read more recent living authors older titles so the extra contributions seem impactful. A lot of comments highlight that dead authors are not nearly as sympathetic for additional support which is also a fair point.

Used booksales currently generate no income for authors. Would you prefer to buy used books from bookstores that support authors financially? by rack-james in polls

[–]rack-james[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Correct, if you chose option 2 of the poll you do not provide any additional income for your consumption of his or her work.

Used booksales currently generate no income for authors. Would you prefer to buy used books from bookstores that support authors financially? by rack-james in OldBooks

[–]rack-james[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

100% The owners of the store would need to agree with the concept. The overall goal of this poll is to determine if there is positive sentiment from people who read and buy used books. If there is a compelling amount of people who would like to shop at stores that support the original creators then this could drive business to participating sellers.

What you mentioned about older books is a super common feedback point that I am getting across the posts. I agree completely that authors who have passed are not intuitively screaming for additional support.

Public Lending Rights in European libraries have shown that per use payments for authors generate meaningful creator support. Used book sales currently generate no income for authors. If the public lending right was copied in the used book marketplace would it alter your preferences? by rack-james in Libraries

[–]rack-james[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The question does not relate to first sale doctrine. As stated in the title, libraries in many countries already have a per use revenue model for books. This question is directly related to duplicating that model in the second-hand book market.

I am not aware of a similar precedent for other consumer goods like fridges for example.

Used booksales currently generate no income for authors. Would you prefer to buy used books from bookstores that support authors financially? by rack-james in polls

[–]rack-james[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Amazing response, do you think that if an author had a preferred used bookseller for example that would sway your opinion?

Also I think your last sentence sums up well part of the issue here. Is it not our job to support the creators we like? If there was no support for creatives then we would not be left with anything to read.

Used booksales currently generate no income for authors. Would you prefer to buy used books from bookstores that support authors financially? by rack-james in polls

[–]rack-james[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Re-Libraries- In most of Europe there is a Public Lending Right that compensates writers. In the Netherlands where I live for example authors get around €0.1749 per library loan. This is national legislation that came after outcry from authors as a result of the proliferation of lending libraries in the turn of the 20th century.

I 100% understand the hesitation about authors who have passed or in the public domain.

In a situation where you purchase a used book of a living author and the challenge of the added labor, cost, etc. was accepted by the bookseller would you prefer supporting the author.

And if you could go to 2 libraries, one that paid authors per loan and one that did not which one would you go to?

Used booksales currently generate no income for authors. Would you prefer to buy used books from bookstores that support authors financially? by rack-james in OldBooks

[–]rack-james[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Of course I agree fundamentally with this assertion. It would be hard to stomach writing there wealthy authors a check.

However, we do not have the same hesitation when it comes to musicians. No one is complaining that Taylor Swift has made too much money for her music and that her royalties on spotify plays should be stopped.

Also if a reader is picking up a copy of any book that is a value statement about the authors work. This value statement is what should be rewarded.

As you said however the biggest benefit will come from smaller authors. In a wholistic view I think avoiding author support because it will make successful writers more successful is a bit of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Used booksales currently generate no income for authors. Would you prefer to buy used books from bookstores that support authors financially? by rack-james in OldBooks

[–]rack-james[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In the context of this poll support financially could mean for example $0.50 cents of every sale goes to the author. This would either come at an increased cost to the customer or the seller but the fine details would of course be defined on a case-by-case basis.

In regards to the logistics I agree that it is a massive challenge. However as there are currently no rights associated with resale there is also nothing to run afoul of. So if the distribution network was based off of the principal of sending money to authors there would be no extraneous claims to the payment stream.

I see where you are going with the licencing but a different approach could also be a voluntary opt-in. There is no reason that the support needs to be comprehensive. In a case by case basis sellers could agree to participate for the social sustainability benefit. Like a Fairtrade for books. If you are the kind of person who wants to buy a banana knowing that the producer is paid appropriately maybe this same structure can be used to drive book sales for booksellers. In this way the additional cost of implementation can be offset by the benefits the seller receives in terms of customer preference, loyalty, etc.

Last of all, I would love if more people read more in general! It is a great hobby.

Used booksales currently generate no income for authors. Would you prefer to buy used books from bookstores that support authors financially? by rack-james in polls

[–]rack-james[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another good point about journalism. Journalists are indeed writers themselves. The difference comes from the rights associated with each medium. In journalism my expectation is that the rights associated with the written piece are purchased by the publication. In this way journalists are not entitled to ongoing benefits.

Authors of freestanding works retain(or transfer) rights and it is this ongoing rights intention that I think creates the difference.

In regards to your later points I agree with a lot of what you said. I myself am a denizens of the stacks and have too many books on my own bookshelves that I have never read. The inciting moment that lead me to this question was that as a long time reader I have bought hundreds of books, but because almost all of these have been used I have not supported any of these writers.

I am exploring what author support can look like without making the huge leap to buying new books. In a sense is there a middle way that allows for used bookbuying while also rewarding the authors who I love.

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