(no subject)

[pensnest]

Am astonished to learn (via browsing at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books) that authors in the USA whose books are lent from public libraries receive *no* compensation.

Weird.

My cat is snoring. It is quite melodious.

UK popslashers - who among you is interested in visiting my Nest at the end of the month for a sparkly weekend?

Comments

[without-me.livejournal.com]

Whereas those of us in the U.S., I venture to say, are astonished at the idea that in some places authors do receive compensation based on library use (beyond the initial purchase price of the book, that is). Not that I'm against it--but the idea never would have occurred to me.

[pensnest]

Yep - like I commented to Turlough, above, it's more really a case of seeing where our vocabulary is the same, but our worlds are actually that bit different, so what we mean when we say 'library service' is not quite the same thing you mean. It's the assumption that lies behind it - I find it interesting that it's Britain and Europe (and probably Commonwealth countries too, I suspect) rather than the US that pay authors a 'royalty', as compensation for the fact that their books are being read without being bought.