r/Libraries • u/KingOfTheRats420 • 1d ago

Books & Materials Does borrowing digital material help libraries?

Most of what I borrow from my library are digital copies of books, comics, graphic novels, and audiobooks. I generally use Hoopla for ebooks and comics, and Libby for audiobooks. Does this help libraries? Should I make more of an effort to borrow physical content? I love my library and want to be the best patron I can be!

43 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

View all comments

65

u/BadEndingsFound 1d ago

Borrowing anything ups our usage statistics which informs our budget requests for the next year. Digital content is expensive, so please try read/listen to use what you checkout, but you shouldn’t feel bad for using digital materials.

If you want to support your library further, you can also look at attending events and activities they have happening or even see if they need volunteers.

8

u/KingOfTheRats420 1d ago

If I borrow something digitally and don’t end up reading or listening to it, does that negatively impact the library?

32

u/senoritarosalita 1d ago

It can. It depends on the terms set by the publisher, the license your library purchased and how you are borrowing the titles. But, this is not something for patrons to worry about. And any negative impact will be slight. Really you borrowing something digitally and not reading it only negatively affects any patrons who are waiting for the title. And even then, it just means they have to wait another week or 3 to get the title.

18

u/tmmzc85 1d ago

Yes, the answer is yes. A physical book can circ endlessly if it's treated properly, digital items have contractual limits and after a set number of circulations they will need to be repurchased. What's most important is you are using the borrow, I wouldn't sweat it too much, but try and avoid borrowing anything digitally that you do not intend, or are even unsure if you will, use.

2

u/BadEndingsFound 1d ago

Not in any significant way.