SOS: Serious Overload of Series discussion

Has anyone seen GR's poll regarding eBook subscription service fees? If not, you can view it here.

GR asks, How much would you be willing to pay for an ebook subscription service (like Netflix for ebooks)? Assume you would need to wait a little while for brand new releases to be available (similar to having to wait for movies on Netflix).

And, your choices are:
$0 - I don't and won't read ebooks. Print books only for me!
$0 - I read ebooks, but I'm not interested in a subscription service at any price.
$10 a month
$15 a month
$20 a month
$25 a month

So, what are your thoughts on an eBook subscription service? We've mentioned this before, but only in regards to wondering if there was one available. If there was, would you pay? If so, how much?

Netflix is such a mess with the streaming offers right now that it is hard to look at that comparison without scoffing. ;P (Only poking at Netflix, not you Steph!)

Since Kindle is getting with the program and soon many libraries (that don't already) will be adding ebooks to their bag of goodies, I would have to say

$0 - I read ebooks, but I'm not interested.....


It's tempting but I think it might turn out to be a bit like the gym. Where you pay by the month but then you only went 3 times. At that rate you could have just bought visitor passes and saved 1/2 your $$$. =D

;)

I hear ya re: similarities to the gym membership. And, I agree, with the changes coming up there's not a lot of reason to pay for services people may be able to get for free soon enough.

Are you comparing reading a book with a trip to the gym?? If they were at all the same, we'd all be in such great shape, lol.

When i initially got my kindle, I looked to see if such a service existed. But I've since realized I have so many books either onhand or available through the library, that paying for a service isn't really necessary. I like the idea and if my library system wasn't so good, i'd probably be interested.

LOL! Oh man, wouldn't that be sweet! Read books and lose weight. We'd all be sickly skinny (not my goal in life) with as much as we read.

I agree, I think those that do not have a library will probably be more interested in a service like this.

If it would make books I currently have problems sourcing available I would pay $10.

But... and this is a big but... I'm betting that the whole international licences issues will come into play and I'd subscribe, pay my $10 a month and then only have a small percentage of what's advertised actually available (*cough* audible *cough*).

Christine Feehan's Dark Predator for instance isn't available to be purchased as an ebook here in Australia until the end of the month. I can't even buy Megan Hart's Deeper on ebook here - I can order a paperback but no ebook format. Then there are the audiobooks - There are authors who's whole catalogue are up on Audible in the states but aren't available here. I gave in an paid a stupid price to get the cd's from Slave to Sensation sent over when I should have been able to just download the story like everyone else.

Grrr - sorry but I've just seen what's available in the us at the audible sale and I'm peeved.

Ah man, that sucks :(
Usually I'm good with getting (e)books although I've never tried to get audible so I don't honestly know how the UK is with that. Although I am wanting to read Blood Song, its release date was 1 September but I reckon that's only in Australia because Amazon (or The Book Depository) doesn't have it yet. Soon, I hope.
In fact, my library has started doing eBooks and some good ones at that. All Rachel Caine's 'Weather Warden' and 'Morganville Vampires' for example, which I will definitely take advantage of ;)
So, no, I wouldn't pay a subscription unless it actually did work out more economical for me, which I'm not sure it would since I get a lot of books from the library. I've never come across Netflix though so how many ebooks would you get? Or is that not how it works?

Josie, Netflix is movies...there isn't actually a e-book subscription service yet, just an idea floating around. I so agree on the "economical" note...

I'm getting e-books @ a library located in the US (and I'm in Japan). I run into the international things with purchasing, and their (the library's) selection doesn't have some books I really want, but it has ones I'm not interested in purchasing, but would like to take a look at. So, it's working out for me so far. I don't think I'd be willing to put out money on the subscription service (though if I were guaranteed the same access as everyone else in the world, and a wide, up-to-date selection, I might reconsider...)

When I answered the poll, I picked $10 but it will all depend on the selection available, how many books you can get, etc.

Yes, my libraries are getting on board with ebooks but there aren't many copies available for the people that want the book. There's this book I want where there are 200 people waiting on line for only only 6 copies. If everybody would take a week to read the book (which is unlikely...I wouldn't be surprised if most people would take the whole 21 days), then it would take for me 7+months to get the book so basically I can't count on getting the ebook through the library.

And even when you get the ebooks, you can't renew them because popular ones always have long waiting lists. Right now I have 7 ebooks from the library all due within a week of each other. Now I'm sure I'll be able to get to some of them, but likely not to them all so I'll have to return one or two and get back in the waiting list. This is not the end of the world but if I had a service where I could decide which books to get and when, it would definitely make my life easier.

On principle I don't pay the same for an ebook as the print price, I don't keep books (I rarely re-read) and I'm rarely in a rush to read anything so a subscription service could work for me. Even if I could only read 4 books a month for $10 (assuming one at a time where I read a book and return it and then get a new one like Netflix), we would be talking about $2.5 per ebook, which is cheaper than most ebooks for the genres I read.

Does your library have a system set up so you can suspend your hold on a book? The verbiage might be different there but the concept is:

Put a hold on the book. (Like pulling a # at the DMV and waiting to be first in line.)

When you are first in line, you get the next available copy. i.e., you have no control over how many you get at one time or when you get them. (This is how you end up with so many books at one time and then, nada!)

**If you suspend your hold on the book.** Then when you reach first in line, the library skips over you until you release the suspension. Then you will get the next available copy. It allows you to control when (to a degree) you get your books, but more importantly, how many at one time.

I use this with series all the time. I put the whole series on hold and suspend all but the first. Then I can control the order that I receive them in. I never get #5 and #7 in the series when I really need #4. :)

Most libraries do this so hopefully it will help. If your library doesn't do this you should put the bug in their ear.

Nope! Neither has it available. If they did, it would be something else.

I had already thought about it and send them some feedback about it. Let's hope they do something about it soon.

OK, that is just criminal! What a bummer, since I know how that works with having tons to read one week, and then be waiting forever for others. This is the kind of thing that would make the e-book subscription service a good bet. :)

Exactly. I'm almost never in a rush to read anything so waiting doesn't bother me but I hate reading on schedule. I mean, I can do it with a book or two, but I like to pick something at random once in a while. Having to choose either reading a book that I don't necessarily feel like it right now because it just happened to pop up from the library or just let it go and wait who knows how long for it, it's not fun.

What an interesting idea. I have to admit my library is suffering and it is not a bad one so books I used to get maybe two weeks after release are now taking like a month (NY Times best seller) or two months (for everything else).

So having said that I would like a rental program especially if it was unlimited and had the books I wanted. I could see myself paying $10 or $15 a month again provided I have the books.

It would have to be a worldwide thing because I plan to do peace corp next year so I need to be able to access books in a third world country.

Erato wrote: "Does your library have a system set up so you can suspend your hold on a book? The verbiage might be different there but the concept is:

Put a hold on the book. (Like pulling a # at the DMV and ..."

Wow! That would be AWESOME! We are having that problem with the Hunger Games series for my husband. He's requested the audiobooks from the Philly free library and got the 1st - great, then was waiting, waiting, waiting, got frustrated and grabbed another series book to listen to (Mercy). All good, until the 2nd book, Catching Fire, was ready for him to download and he wasn't ready to listen to it. Now, he's back in the pool of those waiting again. :(

The suspend feature sounds wonderful. If only ...

Last night, I came across this article about Amazon and their possible eBook rental service:

http://www.rtbookreviews.com/rt-daily...

I won't get an ereader until they come up with something like this. My library has a good ebook selection. But then you have to read it when they say you can read it and in the timeframe they set. Which is always less than for the print version and never renewable. So while I might be read to read a book when I put it on hold. I will probably be into another genre when it finally becomes available. Or have books to read for challenges or games for PBS.

I have been pretty happy with my library...we can set the time limit we want the books 1, 2 or 3 weeks. You can return the book when you have read it..or wait until it times out. My biggest complaint is that they don't have a great selection yet. They have a TON of Harlequin Romances..all types but only bits and bats of other books. I got frustrated cause I would start a series and not be able to get the other books..

Not all libraries have the wait list suspension thing? I feel totally spoiled by my library. Although more people are getting into ebooks/audiobooks and I actually have to wait a while for some of them. I'm #40-something for the audio to , with 3 copies at 2 weeks each, that could still be 7-8 months!

You should! Lucky Ducky! ;)
PS: Love the new avatar!

No, Vivian...my library doesn't have the waiting list suspension so when I get a book, I only have 21 days to read it and that's it. I either find a way to fit it in or I have to put myself in the waiting list again for who knows how long, without any control of when I get the book. My libraries also have great selection and a lot of people are getting into ebooks so the waiting lists are long even for books that were published a while back.

I don't know what you mean by "suspension". I have to accept the library ebook when it's offered to me or wait at the end of the line again. I might be in the mood to read it when I get in line. But then if it comes when I'm really busy, am into another genre at the moment then I have to make myself read the ebook in the alotted time or get in line again. It's usually much easier to just get the print version when I'm ready to read it because even with new releases it's rare that I have to wait more than a few days. I have yet to come across a book that my library has in ebook and not in print. I'm sure there are books that they only have in ebook but so far it hasn't been one I've looked for personally.

With my library system, I can choose 1 week or 2 wks but I can't return early and can only have 4 out at once. So if you have more books on the wait list come in than you have check out spots-you can't return something you've finished to check another digital edition. You just have to get in line again.

Mary - I think Vivian's library has something like the PBS wish list hold so she can keep her place in line until she's ready to get the book.

In both of my libraries I can return ebooks early (not audiobooks) and I can have 12 digital items at once in one library and 50 in the other, which is the source of my current problems. I need to adding myself in the waiting list for books.

I am of the mind: $0 - I read ebooks, but I'm not interested in a subscription service at any price. I read ebooks on my Nook and pick up the odd discounted or free one from B&N now and then. At times I will also pick up a free one from the Del Rey website.

My library is on the better end of the spectrum when it comes to their digital media. I can have up to 10 books out at a time and set from 7 to 21 days for check out time, so on and so forth.

I have recently went back and started listening to audio books on my android through the Overdrive app. My only disappointment is my library doesn't have complete series. I tried looking up the Mercy Thompson series and they only have the latest books. None of the earlier ones. :( In contrast, I am able to pick up most of the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. I may have to go on a waiting list for her most recent ones, though.

Don, the first thing I thought of when I read your "I am of the mind" was Pierce (I think) who says that all the time in Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series. :)

We are having the same problem w/audiobooks. In our case though, they have #2-current, but not #1. That's just wrong.

Don, I think we had this discussion about audios in the Mercy thread too, lol. It's a bust to be able to listen to a few books, but not the entire series :(

Two years later and Oyster has started an eBook subscription service similar to NetFlix. Today, Forbes announced Oyster's launch of "its iPhone platform giving users 100,000 titles, from publishers like HarperCollins, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Workman and self-publishing giant Smashwords , for $9.95 a month. An iPad version will be released later this fall."

They go on to say, "Like Netflix, Oyster lets users search by title, genre and also offers recommendations for topics in the news, or in theaters. Since it’s on the iPhone, Oyster has social features that let you follow friends to see what they’re reading and vice versa. There’s also a privacy mode, in case you don’t want to advertise that self-help book or Vampire novel (or any other in the “paranormal lust” category) to your network. Stromberg and Van Lancker are tight lipped about how publishers or author get paid through the platform–Netflix licenses content out-front, while Spotify pays publisher each time a song is played."

Oyster's blog states, "Today we are excited to start rolling out invitations to Oyster, available on a first-come, first-served basis (you can request an invite here). Oyster offers unlimited books for just $9.95 a month. Members enjoy access to more than 100,000 titles, available with a single tap, anytime, anywhere."

So, do you think it'll be a hit? Will you be checking it out? Is $9.95 a good monthly fee or too high/low? Share your thoughts.

For readaholics like us, this is a steal. Those people that read:

1 book a day = $0.33 per book
3 per week = $0.83 per book
1 per week = $2.48 per book

I bet this is the trial price, increasing it after 6 months or so.

Definitely cost-effective, if they offer a wide selection. I'm anxious to see. I went ahead and requested an invite, but I'm not sure if I'll pay to join. I want to see if I can scope out what books they offer right now. Currently, you cannot access the app without an invite.

I requested the invite as well...I want to see which books they have.

Looking forward to hear what you ladies think of it since I don't possess an iPhone.

I'm surprised they don't offer it for the iPad too. I don't do much reading on my iPhone. Hm. Maybe they'll expand platforms in the future.

When that goes on to Ipad, I will most likely look into it. My hubby has netflix, I will probably have that.

I'd definitely be more interested if they had an iPad app. Well, and if they have a wide selection.

This definitely sounds interesting, if they have a decent selection and if it works in Canada (doesn't seem to specify if it's US-only, unless I missed it!) My library has a decent selection of ebooks, but it takes a while to get newer ones and there's always a long wait. Not to mention that ebooks are stupidly expensive here and Kobo doesn't seem to have any plans for a lending library anytime soon. The price definitely seems reasonable if the app and selection are half decent!

Just got my invitation. Went ahead and signed in. Once you're "in", you have to "select your first 5 books" from their list of available books. Genres included: Fiction & Lit, Self-Improvement, Sci-Fi Fantasy, Romance, Tech & Science ... I forgot the rest, though there weren't many more, and now I can't get back to that screen.

The options, or at least those I had any interest in reading, were slim. Just to get past that screen, I choose 5 ( , , , , and ). Once you click next you're taken to their request for your c/card info.

So, I'll pass for now. Not a very good selection, IMO. I'm sure it'll improve, they note, "Over 100,000 and more added every week". But, hard to say when that will happen b/c you can't scroll their books without first signing up, which requires $.

They also note "Coming soon to iPad".

I've been waiting for book version of netflix to come along, anything that makes reading more accessible is good :) Though at this point I don't read enough to make it worth it, it will be fun to browse and see if there's enough to catch my interest for the future. I'm guessing the selection will grow over time too if the company does well. It does seem limiting to be accessible only on the iPhone.

Oh boo, no browsing without a CC? That's no fun. How many people are going to sign up without knowing what they are paying for?

Yeah, I wonder the same. I was quite disappointed they required $ to proceed. *see excitement bubble pop* I have no way of knowing if the selection they offered for making your "first 5" choice was all they offered or could be changed once you paid and had add'l access.

It will be interesting to see what they have offered at first. Of the ones you picked, I have read one and I think I atleast own one of the other ones. I am not much for rereading either. Maybe it is something that needs to take off before jumping on the bandwagon.

It's a very intriguing idea...but I think I like paying for my library card, instead(international address, so have an annual subscription to a US library with a fairly decent selection). I could definitely browse there before signing up, and that's a big point for me in selecting a service.

I agree. Knowing what you're paying for before handing over the $ works best for me.

:)

If I had a choose to pay a subscription, I think I'd rather Amazon Prime (which is cheaper at approx £4 a month) and offers more. IMO, to get your money's worth, you'd have to read quite a lot a month (and they always say they'll add new books all the time but will they?). Plus, the books that are offered are the type of books I could get at the library.

I'm not seeing a lot of mainstream ebooks on amazon Prime of interest to me (the shipping aspect was worth it to my husband to sign up so not complaining); with the one book I did try, it worked fine (definitely a calendar month loan and not a 30-day loan). $8 a month for a single ebook you that is borrowed I think is a steep price (most ebooks I buy are under $10) if that's the only part of amazon Prime you would use.

I actually do pay $25 out-of-county fee annually to use the library in next county because my library only offers audio books digitally. It's the Overdrive system a lot of libraries use and I have been very happy with it on all devices. Some books do have huge waiting lists (for fun, look up 50 Shades of Grey or other über popular books - at one time mine showed more than 500 people waiting).

Is Oyster more like libraries with limits on how many copies and how long can be borrowed or like Netflix limit on how many at one time until you return some?

I have Amazon Prime - which I got for the movies mostly...cheaper than Netflix and you get fast shipping on top - but I haven't found anything to borrow from them. They have very few books that interest me.

I agree with you that I definitely wouldn't want to sign up without seeing the books they have. I'll give it a try because I'm more interested in the business aspect. I have library cards to 3 big libraries and they have an awesome ebook selection so this will probably won't work for me. But I can see somebody who has a small library - or not interested in waiting for a book they want - giving this a try.

Surely if publishers let Oyster offer unlimited copies of ebooks they could arrange something for the library systems as well? Personally, I would not mind if library ebook programs had two options — a free one where you had waiting lists and a premium program with a m thly subscription and no waiting list because publishers let them use same agreement as the one they offer Oyster.

The poll about paying a monthly subscription really did not have enough options to be useful to me; both poll and Oyster bith need to explain what the monthly subscription gets you. It would be awfully stupid of publishers to offer new releases not available to libraries on Oyster or other services because why would buy a dozen new ebooks a month at $3-$10 = $36-$120 montly if paying $10 a month let me borrow for free? I don't break copy protections and sell on illegal torrent sites so once I read an ebook, I don't care if it's gone from my ereader. If the rare one I re-read repeatedly,I'm happy to buy (probably likely to also get in hardcopy for the bookshelf).

Better idea for publishers to let you pay a slightly reduced "loan" fee for digital books.

My library doesn't have ebooks yet and not sure that they ever will but I wouldn't pay for a service like that either. There are many other ways to get free ebooks. Amazon and Smashwords give them away all the time and for the most popular books, I get them from Overdrive.

Today, I rec'd an email from Oyster offering me a free month. I may take the offer so I can scope out their selection. If I do, I'll share what I find out with ya.