Public Libraries and E-Books

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal carried a small snippet article regarding the availability of e-books through our public libraries. This is great - in theory.

The fact is that many publishing houses are pulling e-books from public libraries or are severely limiting the titles made available. Now, as an indie author this would be great news if the public libraries would consider making the works created by indie authors available to their patrons. They don't however.

The public library system has become as much politicized as any other taxpayer-funded entity. Moralists from every position imaginable weigh in on which titles should be included in their catalogs. It's a virtual book burning and not many Americans are willing to acknowledge that they have stood by in silent submission to the erosion of our rights. Consider, for a moment, the hard-fought battles of generations past in bringing us the right to pick up a Playboy magazine, for instance, or a magazine about firearms. Yet each group opposed to the other becomes louder and louder and the choice of the individual suffers.

What we read, eat, hear, or see should be considered a basic right in America. Our associations and freedoms are constitutionally guaranteed. Why, then, are we finding more and more laws written that control our behaviors? Be very careful what authority you grant to your government because some day that authority will become your overlord.