Publisher Price Watch FAQ
Will you be adding more publishers?
Yes, we will add more publishers based on feedback from ReadersFirst libraries. Selectors can receive updates on new additions by subscribing to the ReadersFirst emails.
The major publisher prices are much higher than print. Is there anything we can do about this?
The Publisher Price Watch tool is one way to help library selectors “vote with their dollars” by choosing books from publishers that offer better value than others. Libraries are also pursuing legislative solutions to digital library book access issues, which you can learn about by signing up for ReadersFirst emails (at the bottom of the right sidebar) or following us on Twitter.
How often is the data updated?
We hope to update data for each publisher annually. Each individual publisher page has a “Last Updated” date at the bottom indicating approximately when the data was pulled.
I am a publisher already on the list and we have changed our digital book prices and/or licenses. Will you update the data?
Please contact us and summarize the changes. We will update your pricing and licensing info.
I am a publisher offering reasonable digital library book prices. Will you add me to the list?
Unfortunately, we do not have the time to add publishers at publisher request. Publishers are added based on library feedback.
Why did you choose Amazon for a print price rather than the price your libraries pay for print?
Different libraries have different volume discounts with vendors, so pay different amounts for the same books. As such, multiple sized libraries would need to be queried and their prices averaged. We chose to use Amazon as a less precise but quicker and easier data source.
Will you show books by audience (adult, teen, J) in the future?
We would be happy to post that kind of data if we are able to coordinate a set of volunteers who can pull it according to our procedures. If you are a librarian interested in helping with this or with adding new publishers, please contact us.
Who should I contact with questions about Publisher Price Watch?
Fill out the form on our contact us page with your question and your contact information. We will get back to you as quickly as time permits.