But it was at the end of the tour, while publishers sat in an executive conference room facing the Rocky Mountains and sipping free beverages, that netLibrary chief operating officer Nancy Talmey made a truly lasting impression. Everyone looked at each other. Users who want the on-screen editions can then check them out like they would print books. But two new companies, scheduled to launch in the next year, have come up with different arrangements. Ebrary will digitize books and allow open access to everyone through the Internet.
Users pay by the download or printed page.
For all the excitement, however, the e-book still induces anxiety. Publishers' questions were legion. The question of rights and payments is particularly perplexing. If so, then authors would be entitled to a standard royalty rate on e-book revenue. That would entitle authors to a cut of the licensing fee rather than a stream of royalties.