A few weeks ago I was complaining about cheap Islamic books flooding the market. The day before yesterday, I was thinking to buy a few books about Ismailis and Fatimid but the prices of these books are discouraging. I am not going to pay $70 and over hundred dollars for a book. I don't care if these books are hardcovers printed on cotton-bonded paper with sharp and glossy covers. Who pays that kind of money nowadays?
It cost soo much money to get access to academic materials (conference and journal papers). The academic books and textbooks are also way overpriced. I am not happy with all these barriers put in place to discourage people who are studying and those who wish to pursuit independent research without being affiliated with universities and research institute. Authors don't make that much money out of their books. If you can get paperbacks for less than ten dollars and hardback for less than $25 from supermarkets then there is something wrong with the printing of academic books.
Thank god I can go to the university and get what I want for free.
I am really getting interested in the ebooks revolution. Hopefully, the books could be sold cheaper because there is no cost associated with printing, distribution and stocking.
So, are the publishing companies happy that they can sell books cheaply without all the additional costs involved in the printing and distribution of the books? Nope. As of now, they are trying to figure out new ways to scam their consumers.
Random House will continue to offer its e-books to libraries but as of March 1 has raised many e-books’ wholesale prices significantly—in some cases by as much as 300 percent.
Several librarians told The Digital Shift that the prices they’re seeing tripled. “A book that a week ago we purchased for $28.00 now costs $84.00,” said one.
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