Netflix for books?

[adamjohnson]

A crazy thought I had the other day.

Reason being: my libraries SUCK here. I dont know about everybody else. But mine have very little selection.

So, why not sign up for a library service with an extremely vast library of books at their disposal?

And to solve shipping problems: all the books would be printed onto paper and bound with three hole punch. Just like Netflix, you cant be expected to get the WHOLE experience of the book and its exterior beauty, but least you can read it in its entirety.

Good idea? Bad idea?

[Danger^Cart]

Bad idea. Netflix is possible because they're able to make vast amounts of copies from a few masters. With books, they'd have to buy a tremendous amount of copies. This library you speak of would have to be immeasurable in order to sustain demand. A probem compounded by the fact that books are so much more expensive to make than DVDs.

Another problem is how much longer it takes one to read a book than it does to watch a movie. The subscription cost would have to be extremely low in order to avoid defeating the purpose entirely.

Which brings us to the next and undoubtedly most pertinent problem: While not a 'rental service,' almost any book can be found for purchase on the web for cheap. Certainly cheap enough to negate a 'renting' them, anyway.

It just doesn't make sense. Which, I'm assuming, is why it hasn't been done.

[adamjohnson]

Originally posted by Danger^Cart
Bad idea. Netflix is possible because they're able to make vast amounts of copies from a few masters. With books, they'd have to buy a tremendous amount of copies. This library you speak of would have to be immeasurable in order to sustain demand. A probem compounded by the fact that books are so much more expensive to make than DVDs.

As I said, they would be copies, not the entire book with binding. But good points.

[Inglorious]

Most libraries to ship to home. I know all of the libraries in my state do anyway. Its usually for the disabled types but I hear they will do it pretty much no matter the reason.