(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

[phaballa.livejournal.com]

Yes, every state has a different way of setting up libraries and a different method for funding them, just like every state used to have different drinking ages. The only way the federal government managed to force all 50 states to agree on 21 as the drinking age was to cut off federal funds for roads from every state that didn't comply. Otherwise they'd have had to pass a constitutional amendment that would've had to be ratified by 2/3rds of the states, and that's a very hard thing to get. It's why there aren't a lot of constitutional amendments, and most controversial policy in the US is decided by legislation, which is then challenged in the courts and either holds up or not.

And remember, it might only take a few million in the UK, but you're talking a population of 60 million compared to a population of 300 million. Our school system isn't even nationalized. It's depressing as shit :/

Anyway, as long as our fair use laws remain as they are, authors aren't going to get royalties from library book circulations beyond the initial buying of the book. The US government isn't going to justify paying for something just to be nice, and not because they *have* to.