J.K. Rowling Refuses E-Books for Potter

Yahoo! News says anyone looking to read the book online, at least legally, should not even try. J.K. Rowling has not permitted any of the six Potter books to be released in electronic form, not even during the peak of the e-book craze a few years ago.
Rowling’s choice follows an industry trend. Young people are supposedly more open to new technology, but the e-book market works in an opposite way.

June 15, 2005 by Uncategorized 12

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12 Responses

  1. birdie says:
    June 15, 2005 at 7:33 pm

    Hurray
    for J. K. Rowling (even tho I’m not keen on Harry), I approve her restriction.

    Reply
  2. Bibliofuture says:
    June 15, 2005 at 9:01 pm

    Piracy
    I hope that piracy is not the reason why Rowling is deciding against the e-book format. A friend of mine gave me a CD that was full of e-books that he got off the web. Every Harry Potter book that has been published was on the CD. The next Harry Potter book will be pirated whether the book is available as an ebook or not.

    I am also a little mystified about Birdie’s “hurray” in regards to the book not being put out in ebook format. This is America, if I want to read the book on my Palm Pilot or some other ebook device, what’s it to you? Assuming the copy I am reading is a copy that I paid for.

    Reply
  3. Bibliofuture says:
    June 15, 2005 at 9:08 pm

    Billionaire
    Here is a link to an article telling how Rowling is a billionaire. Just because she is a billionaire I don’t think people should pirate her books but don’t you reach a point where you don’t really care about how much more money you are pulling in? If I was Rowling and had a billion dollars I would give the book away. I would just want people to read my works. The odd paradox is that if she gave away electronic versions of the book she would probably sell even more paper copies. That has been the recent trends with ebooks. Ebook distribution stirs print sales.

    Reply
  4. Anonymous Patron says:
    June 15, 2005 at 9:45 pm

    Re:Billionaire
    Ebook distribution stirs print sales.

    I don’t think it would be possible to stir-up any more sales for Harry Potter, the market is probably close to saturation.

    Reply
  5. birdie says:
    June 15, 2005 at 10:26 pm

    Re:Piracy
    My ‘hurray’ is because the Potter books are essentially childrens/YA books.

    I think children and young adults should get the experience of holding a book, turning the pages, looking at the pictures, and putting a bookmark in their book before they go to sleep. It’s a part of their education and training on how to be readers.

    For adults, it’s a different matter…as you said, it’s a personal choice.

    Hope you’re reading to your daughter from childrens books, not just e-books.

    Reply
  6. Bibliofuture says:
    June 16, 2005 at 9:45 am

    Re:Piracy
    I wish that my daughters had some ebooks. When a six year old and a one year old manage a collection of paper books the results can be interesting.

    Reply
  7. barasawasangel says:
    June 16, 2005 at 9:09 pm

    Re:Piracy
    While I completely agree that children should be read to from the earliest possible age, I disagree that the Harry Potter books are just for children and young adults. My in-laws are in the 70’s and love the books, as do my husband and I (38 and 33, respectively).

    These books may have been designed for children and young adults, but they are read and loved by all age groups.

    Reply
  8. Frogtoes says:
    June 17, 2005 at 9:45 pm

    Re:Piracy
    I must ditto the “Harry is for all ages” position. Rowling’s books are a wonderful escape from this crazy world. When they first came out, I read them to my daughter as a bedtime ritual and now that she is older, it’s who can get to the book first! LOL!!!

    Reply
  9. Frogtoes says:
    June 17, 2005 at 9:51 pm

    Re:Billionaire
    While I see your point, I must disagree on the freebies (unless it is to schools and public libraries.) Writing is her job of choice and she deserves to make a buck or two. It would be nice, however, if she donated a few of her bucks to set up scholarships for young writers at the university of her choice. Maybe even donating funds to literacy programs to promote reading. Personally, I wouldn’t read an ebook as I work on the computer all day and my eyes need the stable paper environment a book offers at the end of the day. The wait is almost over! WOOHOO!!!

    Reply
  10. barasawasangel says:
    June 18, 2005 at 3:44 am

    Re:Piracy
    Exactly!

    Reply
  11. librarydragon1 says:
    July 12, 2005 at 7:23 pm

    Re:Hurray
    Has anyone heard that Ingram will not ship the new HP book until Monday if you order less that 10 copies for your library?

    Just got this from a librarian in our system:
    “Hi, all. I just had a disturbing conversation with Customer Service at
    Ingram Books. Apparently, if you have pre-ordered less than 10 copies of
    Harry Potter from them, they will not deliver on time for Saturday’s release
    date. I was told that they will be shipped on Friday for Monday delivery.
    When I mentioned that I have received every other title in the series
    early, they said that “this is the way we’re doing it this time.” Needless
    to say, I am quite vexed! I thought I would pass it along for you
    information.”

    Reply
  12. oshaun says:
    July 18, 2005 at 4:10 pm

    Re:Piracy
    Even Rowlings has said the audience of the books rangings from preteens to retired adults. The level of storytelling has risen with each book as Harry ages so to does the ‘targeted’ audience.

    Saying that because you feel the books are targeted for young adults should limit the books from being available in ebooks format is quite oblivious to the times.

    Even libraries are now offering ebook and audiobooks available for ‘time limited’ downloads on the net.

    Do you think that by Rowlings’ decision for no ‘official’ ebook release that it will preclude any future piracy? Guess again – the ebook for book 6 was available by Sunday afternoon the day after the printed editions official release.

    Personally I would buy both editions if possible. There are times when it is nice to have the ‘real’ book in your hands to read. BUT there are times when it is far far more convenient to have the ebook edition on my pda which I can carry almost anywhere.

    Rowlings and her publishers would be far more savvy if they offered an official ebook edition for fans to purchase. Done for a reader such as eReader – such ‘books’ when purchased are difficult copy and make available for others to read as they are tied to the credit card which purchased them.

    Instead fans will produce their own ‘bootleg’ ebooks of the Potter novels.

    Those willing to pay for the ebooks are left with the option of going for a bootleg or NOT reading the books.

    Reply

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