Well, in Taiwan (and possibly Japan), the comic book rental store seemed to be a pretty viable business model. The stores that I went to were not particularly huge, utilizing the walls as shelf space (although some have bigger store areas and/or pull-out shelves), places to sit in, and a central hub to process orders and showcase the lastest issues of the magazines. The really lucky ones are situated near convenience stores, too. I spent many an afternoon ~ evening happily reading comics. (Taking a book home required identification that I, as a tourist, didn’t have, and I wasn’t about to entrust them with my passport!)
…of course, it does help that comics are huge in Taiwan, and shopping by internet hasn’t caught on as big yet.
My local NJ taxes include membership to my local libary system with about twenty branches. If I want to pay an additional $100 + a year I can also join the library system in the next county.
One of our local library branches has a collection of recent bestsellers card holders can take out for .25 a day.
Growing up in Edinburgh in the 60s & 70s, there was a tiny private library down near my school’s playing fields. I’d hire a couple of books each week for 3d each, or something, and return them the following week. IIRC, it was the rear half of a small newsagent/tobacconist shop…
And many people treat 2nd hand book shops like librarys; they but 2 or 3 books and trade them back in every week or so, topping up the credit given when the books are returned to pay for more s/h books, to return the following week, topping up the credit given to pay for more s/h books…
There are several reasons why the Blockbuster/Netflix model doesn’t apply so well to books. 1) Books are less durable than DVDs. 2) Books are heavier than DVDs. Shipping costs are trivial for DVDs, an major concern for books. 3) The number of books in print (to say nothing of older books in circulation) is exponentially larger than films. 4) Fewer people read than watch movies
In CT, we’re automatically included in the state-wide library system. If my teeny-tiny Brookfield Library doesn’t have a book I want, they’ll scour libraries throughout the state for it. I can also go to any public library to borrow books just like a resident in that area. I thought every state did this. Those that don’t, should.
Oh. My local library ( and others in CT, I presume) will buy books for us if they’re not available in the system, and treat them as a routine loan just like “old” books. My wife and I have availed ourselves of this service a few times.
Sometimes I ask myself why in hell I buy books online. But I do—a lot. I guess I just like the idea of owning books.
I would add (5) DVDs have a shorter turnaround time, as it takes longer to read the average book than to watch the average movie, and, perhaps most importantly, (6) a “Blockbuster” for books would face competition from public libraries (and from used book stores as Meurglys pointed out). Even if you have a public library that leaves a lot to be desired, it can get you books from other libraries via interlibrary loan, and/or the library’s offerings can be expanded if the local residents care enough to make it happen.
In NH it isn’t. It all has to do with where they get their funds. NH “Home Rule” regulations and limited taxation provides little funds for things like libraries.
My hometown library is pretty good though, if you’re interested in something, or a specific book, just request it, they can get it via ILL or if it’s not available, they’ll often purchase it to “see how it circulates” and often get more of the same type if it does well.
Nitpick here, but I’m guessing that state taxes only partially funded the library. I don’t know where in the budget the Bracken Library falls, but I’d hazard a guess it’s funded by more than just the state appropriation.
Ball State and other public institutions may extend borrowing priveleges because they feel it’s part of their mission as a public institution, but it wouldn’t be because the taxpayers paid for the library (at least, not wholly).
With all due respect, BobT, I think CA and NY each have the money, infrastructure, progressive attitude and an amenable government that would adopt a similar system with the right people stumping for it.
Maybe do it on a regional basis, especially involving the sharing abd buying of books.
In states that do this, are the libraries funded by the state government, or by local governments? If libraries are funded locally (as I believe they are here in Texas), I would think that state-wide borrowing might foster a free-rider problem. If Town A is having a budget crunch, they might be tempted to slash library funding, on the theory that citizens can just drive across the border to Town B and use their library. In many urban or suburban areas, this wouldn’t necessarily be a long trip.
Statewide borrowing of books in California would be pretty hard because of the size of the state. Even a regional plan would be difficult. Los Angeles County has nearly 9 million residents. And two large library systems: Los Angeles Public Library (aka the city) and the County of Los Angeles Public Library and then there are still other library systems in the county. There is a cooperative system among them, but it’s still very difficult from a logistical or financial standpoint to get a person in say, Covina, to request a book that is available in Los Angeles and then hope that the person returns in say, Glendora. The cost of moving the book around is great.
But if you went from Southern California to Northern California (and I mean really Northern California like Redding) then you have a problem of population and economic disparities. Let alone that a city like Redding is over 600 miles away from Los Angeles.
California may be a challenge, but NY not so much.
Michigan is something like the 8th most populous state in the country, and has that wacky upper peninsula to add a geographic challenge. But Michigan has a fairly robust statewide ILL system.
As I poke around it looks to me like California has one, and even has a system for the State helping reimburse libraries who incur expenses in the acquisition of ILL materials.