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Re: Usage-based pricing (was ebooks in libraries a thorny problem)

Sandy Thatcher wrote:

While not quite the same thing, do not some libraries, or 
university computer centers, limit the number of pages a student 
may print out per month or semester or year? I've heard that 
Brown University, among others, follows such a rationing 
practice. Is this "madness"?

Comment:

Rationing printing does make sense.  There are hard costs 
associated with printing / photocopying; more important than 
budgetary concerns, however, is the environmental impact of 
excessive printing.  Here, usage-based pricing serves a useful 
purpose. Rationing printing does not mean that reading is 
rationed.  People can read online, read print books, etc.

Eric Hellman wrote:

As I said, the trick is to control the budget. Consider this 
variant. Suppose a library system put out a tender for ebook 
supply totalling 1 million dollars per year. Publishers 
participating in the tender would be paid a share of the $1M 
based on usage of the books they supplied. Please ignore for the 
moment the technical difficulties of measuring usage and consider 
whether such a system would provide the correct economic 
incentives. The publishers would have incentives to get their 
stuff used. The library would get a fixed expense. No one would 
have their usage rationed. I would also argue that many OA models 
are usage-based pricing, where the "price" is advertising 
exposure. Comment:

If a library system can pool a million dollars a year for ebooks, 
why not provide local hosting and support for Open Monographs 
Press (coming soon), and subsidize the editorial work so that the 
books can be fully open access? If many library systems were to 
do this (or commit to what they can afford), then all end up with 
a substantial and ever-growing collection - and, importantly, 
without the DRM (digital rights management) that currently limits 
the usefulness of ebooks.

best, Heather Morrison
http://pages.cmns.sfu.ca/heather-morrison/