Can eBooks in Public Libraries Drive Sales?

Gary at ResourceShelf pointed to this study:

OverDrive Publishes White Paper: “How eBook Catalogs at Public Libraries Drive Publishers’ Book Sales and Profits”

Access Full Text Paper (8 pages; PDF)

“OverDrive has produced a white paper on the impact of eBook lending on publishers’ sales and profits. Data presented in this white paper will demonstrate the ability of public libraries to drive sales of print and digital content, with particular emphasis on the following points:

+ Unfulfilled demand
+ Increased revenue
+ Copyright holder retains control
+ Promotion
+ Discoverability”

This echoes the arguments that free MP3 files on the web drive sales of CD’s and songs on iTunes. I think that this could be true of books too.

Lots of stuff to add to the conversation about e-books.

Stephen