Why have the strategies of book and record companies evolved so differently?
Recorded music is overwhelmingly bought by individuals and the record industry felt it had the upper hand, legally and in the market. The situation in books is very different. Libraries are a major force in the publishing industry, and both public lending libraries and university research libraries feel a strong interest in getting the most information to the largest number of users at the lowest price. They have been pushing hard for digital distribution (and have been strenuous opponents of copyright law changes that have strengthened the hand of rights owners vs. buyers). Educators, from kindergarten through college, are anxious for alternatives to conventional textbooks, which are heavy (a major concern to parents who worry about the health impact of bulging backpacks), expensive, and rapidly become outdated. Some educators also want to pick and chose, assembling custom course materials using parts of several texts. Magazine publishers have also become increasingly interested in di
