Name: Greater demand for e-books is increasing costs for Vancouver libraries
Uploaded: 2025-11-04T04:16:00.070Z
Duration: 2 min 18 s
Description: Do you e-read or do you still prefer a paper copy? Vancouver library users have tilted toward digital borrowing, which has now exceeded physical loans. It’s adding pressure on the library system over how to pay for the items.

Do you e-read or do you still prefer a paper copy? Vancouver library users have tilted toward digital borrowing, which has now exceeded physical loans. It’s adding pressure on the library system over how to pay for the items.

Vancouver

The Vancouver Public Library has seen digital borrowing surpass physical borrowing for the first time, with a 16% increase in digital checkouts from 2023 to 2024. While digital materials offer greater accessibility, especially for those unable to visit in person, the cost for libraries is substantially higher than for print books or what individual consumers pay.

For example, a digital copy of a popular book can cost libraries nearly four times more than the retail price, and licensing agreements often limit usage by time or number of downloads. To address the growing budget gap, the Vancouver Public Library Foundation is raising funds specifically for digital materials while advocating for changes in digital publishing fees or increased provincial funding.

Greater demand for e-books is increasing costs for Vancouver libraries

You may be a staunch paper book reader but chances are you're closer to going digital like so many other readers. I have done it a few times but I do like coming to the library. Sometimes they have a little bit of a longer wait list and it's like more of a work thing I want to get to it and get through it but for my enjoyment and leisure and pleasure I like holding the book in my hand. I like that I can read anywhere and doesn't occupy a lot of space. Yeah and do you find it's easy to get them from the library they're accessible? Yeah it's very easy. In Vancouver that easy access paired with modern technology has pushed the borrowing of digital items past traditional ones for the first time. The digital borrowing of books music and magazines now exceed physical versions an increase of 16% from 2023 to 2024. Not surprising say library officials. It's very accessible it's accessible to people who actually can't make it to the library physically to come and borrow items. It's a really broad range of content I think it supports a very wide variety of needs. There's a downside though and it's cost. Libraries pay a lot more for digital materials than individual consumers pay for digital materials and they pay more for digital materials than they pay for print books. So as digital collections use grows and the cost is typically three or four times higher we're seeing a big gap in VPL's available budget for collections. For example a digital copy of a popular book like Rebecca Yaros' Onyx Storm cost $22 in Canada but for the library the digital price is $85 and licensing agreements with publishers have a set time limit or number of downloads per copy purchased. That's meant extra costs for libraries to keep up with demand something their budgets may be strained to do. The Vancouver Public Library Foundation raises more than two million dollars a year. It's campaigning for specific funds to help pay for digital materials to help fill any gap until either digital publishing fees for libraries change or more core provincial funding for these institutions is provided. Chad Possen, CBC News, Vancouver

President Trump hosted a breakfast for Republican senators at the White House on Wednesday morning, where he urged them to end the filibuster as the government shutdown hits a historical milestone.

Washington

Trump doubles down on Republicans as government shutdown makes history

At least nine people were killed, officials say, after a UPS cargo plane crashed near the airport in Louisville, Kentucky. Video shows the jet's left wing on fire as it tries to take off before quickly losing altitude and exploding.

Louisville

Video shows moment UPS plane crashes in Kentucky, killing nine

Typhoon Kalmaegi left a trail of destruction in the central Philippines, as the powerful storm unleashed heavy rains and floods across Visayas islands region. It's now headed towards the South China Sea and Vietnam where preparations are underway ahead of its expected landfall.

Visayas

Deadly Typhoon Kalmaegi lashes Philippines, heads towards Vietnam

Zohran Mamdani has been elected as New York City's mayor, defeating Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa in a historic election with over 2 million votes cast.

New York

Mamdani defeats Cuomo to become New York City's mayor

A centuries-old legislative practice in the U.S Senate is being blamed as the latest roadblock in resolving the federal government shutdown. That shutdown is now in its 35th day—equaling the longest in the country's history.

Filibuster blamed for deepening U.S government shutdown

Injuries have been reported after a UPS plane crashed near the Louisville International Airport on Tuesday, officials said.

UPS plane crashes near airport in Kentucky, officials say

The U.S. Senate's 14th vote on a House-passed continuing resolution to fund the government has failed, setting up the shutdown to become the longest ever in American history.

Senate vote fails again to reopen government

A new UN report reviews the gap between countries’ climate commitments and global emissions targets.

UN report reveals climate pledges 'barely moving the needle'

Peru has severed diplomatic relations with Mexico after learning that former prime minister Betssy Chávez, accused of helping ex-president Pedro Castillo attempt a coup in 2022, has taken refuge in the Mexican embassy in Lima.

Lima

Peru cuts ties with Mexico over asylum for ex-prime minister

Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has died at the age of 84. He was a major force in the Republican party for more than 30 years and served as vice president under former President George W. Bush.

Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney dies at 84

There has been a sharp escalation in bloodshed in the conflict since Rapid Support Forces fighters captured the city of al-Fashir.

Al Fashir

United States working to secure a humanitarian truce in Sudan

The Trump administration says it will restart the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, but will only pay half the amount people usually get. The move comes after two federal judges ruled that freezing payments for the U.S.'s biggest anti-hunger program is unlawful.

Trump administration will partially restore food benefit funding

Manufacturing giant Kimberly-Clark is set to acquire Kenvue, the maker of Tylenol, for $48.7 billion. CBS News MoneyWatch correspondent Kelly O'Grady has more details.

Kimberly-Clark to buy Tylenol maker Kenvue for nearly $50 billion

Russia said on Monday that its troops had advanced in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that they have been trying to capture for over a year, but Ukraine said its forces were holding on.

Pokrovsk

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine sends special forces to Pokrovsk

Israeli police have arrested a former military prosecutor after she leaked a video appearing to show soldiers abusing a Palestinian detainee. Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi was detained overnight on Monday following a scandal that erupted after she leaked a video, resigned and then disappeared.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israel arrests ex-army lawyer over leaked video showing abuse

U.S. President Donald Trump told 60 Minutes he thinks Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's days are numbered amid the U.S. striking another boat in the Caribbean allegedly transporting drugs.

Trump sounds off on Venezuela's Maduro as deadly boat strikes continue

A mayor in Mexico's western state of Michoacan was shot dead in a plaza in front of dozens of people who had gathered for Day of the Dead festivities, authorities said. Local politicians in Mexico are frequently victims of political and organized crime violence.

Michoacán

Mexican mayor killed during Day of the Dead celebrations

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, killing at least 20 people, injuring hundreds and damaging the city's historic Blue Mosque, authorities said, with the death toll likely to rise.

Mazar-i-Sharif

Deadly earthquake rocks northern Afghanistan

More than 200,000 people are expected to attend the Los Angeles Dodgers' victory parade on Monday after they won the World Series over the weekend. The Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in 11 innings in Game 7 to become the first team in 25 years to win back-to-back World Series.

Los Angeles

Dodgers to hold championship parade after World Series victory

A 32-year-old man suspected of carrying out a bloody stabbing on a United Kingdom train is facing at least 10 criminal charges. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio has the latest.

London

UK train stabbing spree suspect faces attempted murder charges

Hamas handed over bodies of three hostages on Sunday (November 2), even as the Palestinian militant group traded blame with Israel for violations of the tenuous truce that has mostly halted two years of war.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Hamas hands over three more hostage bodies amid fragile ceasefire

Israel has threatened to increase attacks on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon if the Lebanese government doesn't disarm the militant group, despite a ceasefire.

Israel warns of intensified strikes on Hezbollah if disarmament fails

U.S President Donald Trump has long promised to build a ballroom on the White House campus.
He originally said it wouldn’t touch the existing structure. But after just four days, the East Wing is gone. Torn down to make way for a much bigger ballroom than originally planned.

Trump’s $300m White House ballroom project sparks controversy

Two more suspects, a man and a woman arrested this week over the jewel heist at the Louvre, have been charged and remanded in custody, prosecutors have said. The charges on Saturday brought the number of people now charged over the spectacular robbery to four.

Paris

Two more charged over Louvre jewelry heist

British police say eleven people were injured, most of them seriously, in a mass stabbing on a London-bound train Saturday evening. Authorities have arrested two British-born men and are investigating their motive in the incident.

UK police rule out terrorism after mass stabbing on train

Egypt has officially opened the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the world's largest museum dedicated to an ancient civilization. The new museum features tens of thousands of artifacts, including the full collection from King Tutankhamen's tomb.

Cairo

Grand Egyptian Museum opens after two decades of construction

Voters in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and California have already hit the polls for early voting before election day on Nov. 4. CBS News producer Jared Ochacher is following the New York City mayoral race.

Mamdani commands double-digit lead over opponents in NYC mayoral race

The two-day APEC summit in South Korea has wrapped up with President Lee Jae Myung handing over hosting duties to China. Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced the southern city of Shenzhen as the site for next year's summit.

Seoul

Rise of AI

Global Tariffs

APEC summit ends, Trump and Xi reach truce in trade war

When a US aircraft carrier arrives in the Caribbean next week, there will be 14,500 American troops in and around Puerto Rico. The Trump administration says it's aimed at curbing drug trafficking. But many fear something much bigger to come.

San Juan

Fears of conflict in Caribbean amid U.S military build-up

The coastal town of Black River, described by the Jamaican government as Hurricane Melissa's "ground zero," lies devastated after one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record tore through the island, claiming at least 19 lives and leaving a trail of unprecedented destruction.

Breakdown