E-lending won’t put a big dent in book sales

Borrowing from libraries doesn’t pose a threat to bookshops, despite what some cynics would have you believe

With growth in ebook sales slowing, we seem to be reaching a point where digital and printed books can live in harmony. Will the same ever be said for publishers, booksellers and librarians? Not if the response to the latest e-lending pilot is anything to go by.

Two years ago, publisher William Sieghart’s review into remote e-lending said that public libraries should be able to lend ebooks remotely. It also recommended that “frictions” (lending limits) be put in place to protect publishers and booksellers.

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