電子書的定價、採購模式與圖書公閱版對臺灣出版界與公共圖書館的影響

Abstract

數位閱讀及電子書逐漸成為目前的閱讀趨勢，公共圖書館需要採購更多電子書館藏以滿足使用者需求。電子書定價長久以來皆是產業界及研究者的討論議題，而公共圖書館採購電子書的定價、採購策略更是複雜及多元。公共圖書館提供電子書館藏對民眾是最容易接觸及學習電子書的管道，因此公共圖書館跟電子書廠商都應注重B2B電子書產業。同時因COVID-19疫情發生使公共圖書館關閉，電子書借閱成為民眾主要的借閱館藏方式，再次證明隨著時代的發展電子書館藏成為圖書館的主要發展趨勢。\n目前，電子書定價相關研究多以B2C（廠商對使用者）電子書市場定價策略為主，較少探索B2B（廠商對圖書館）市場電子書定價的考慮因素及銷售策略。因此，本研究之目的為探究（1）了解臺灣的電子書相關業者及公共圖書館對「圖書公閱版」的看法；（2）瞭解目前出版社、公共圖書館及平台商三方對公閱版及一般電子書定價的看法；（3）討論目前臺灣公共圖書館電子書遇到的困難及阻礙；（4）在B2B的情況下，圖書館採購的電子書定價時是否應有其規範？\n本研究以質性研究的半結構式訪談法進行研究，並搜集四所公共圖書館、三家電子書平台商及五家出版社進行B2B電子書定價銷售的實務經驗。訪談內容分為圖書公閱版對現行電子書定價的影響、電子書業者對圖書公閱版的看法、現行B2B電子書定價與銷售與採購策略及發展B2B電子書的困難。\n本研究結果發現：（1）圖書公閱版對現行B2B電子書定價方式存在影響力；（2）公共圖書館、平台商及出版社肯定公閱價的制訂對出版業有正向影響，但如果電子書價格提升，圖書館將因預算的考量重新考量對B2B電子書的採購量；（3）應規範電子書定價及銷售方式，避免低價競爭下對產業的影響；（4）應改變目前公共圖書館「買斷」電子書的採購付費方式，並對B2B電子書定價銷售方式制定統一的建議或規範；（5）發展B2B電子書遇到的困難多元包含電子書概念認知不足、電子書低價競爭等。

Digital reading and electronic books (e-books) have gradually become the current reading trend, and public libraries need to purchase more e-book collections to meet the needs of users. The e-book pricing is a long time issue among the industry and researchers, and the pricing and procurement strategies of e-books purchased by public libraries are more complex and diverse.\n\nThe e-book collection provided by public libraries is the easiest way for people to learn and access e-books. For the reason that both public libraries and e-book manufacturers should focus on B2B e-book industry. Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic and public libraries been closed, e-book lending has become the main way for the public to borrow libraries" collections, which proves that e-book collections have become the main development trend of libraries.\n\nAt present, the studies of e-book pricing, for the most part, are about B2C (Platform provider-to-user) e-book market pricing strategies, and seldom explores the consideration factors and sales strategies of e-book pricing in the B2B (Platform provider-to-library) market. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to explore (1) Understand Taiwan’s e-book related industry and public libraries’ views on "Public Reading Edition" (2) Understand the current opinions of publishers, public libraries and platform providers on the pricing of public editions and general e-books; (3) Discuss the current difficulties encountered by e-books in public libraries in Taiwan; (4) In the case of B2B market, The pricing of e-books purchased by libraries should have their own specifications?\n\nThis research uses a semi-structured interview method of qualitative research to conduct research, and interviews four public libraries, three e-book platform vendors and five publisher. The content of the interview is include the influence of "Public Reading Edition" on the pricing of the current e-book, the e-book industry`s opinion on the " Public Reading Edition", the current B2B e-book pricing and sales and procurement strategies, and the difficulty of developing B2B e-books.\nThe results of this study found that: (1) "Public Reading Edition" has an influence on the current B2B e-book pricing; (2) Public libraries, platform providers and publishers confirm that the formulation of public reading prices has a positive impact on the publishing industry. But If the price of e-books increases, the library will reconsider the purchase e-books due to budget considerations; (3) E-book pricing and sales methods should be standardized to avoid the impact on the industry under low-price competition; (4) Public libraries" purchase and payment method of e-books should be changed, and formulate unified recommendations or specifications for the pricing and sales methods of B2B e-books; (5) Difficulties in the development of B2B e-books include insufficient awareness of e-book concepts, platform providers low-price competition, etc.