Ever wonder what out-of-print really means? Or why some books are available for the library to buy after they are first published while others aren’t? Selection Librarian Brenna helped us demystify the answers to these frequently asked questions!
Publishers and movie studios decide what stays in print. Books and movies are typically assigned a “print run” by their publishers. Once those print runs sell out, the publisher may or may not decide to release another print. They typically base their decisions upon sales and demand data. Basically, popularity determines if something stays in print. Sometimes a publisher may reprint or issue a new edition of a title if there's enough demand for it.
A change in the circumstances of the author or the topic can also prompt a reprint, and rights play a part. Publishers and authors must agree to terms. They may prevent each other from reprinting items. They can also limit how they make a title available. It depends on their contracts.
When items are old enough (like Shakespeare), they go “out of copyright” and become the public domain. That’s why we see so many versions of classics. That timeframe keeps changing. That's due to companies and estates who don’t want their material to ever go “out of copyright.” The general rule now is:
- 70 years after the death of the author and
- 95 to 120 years after creation/publication for works of corporate authorship.
Out-of-print, for our purposes, means no longer available new on the retail market. Many out-of-print items remain available in the used or secondhand market. Item quality varies greatly and our ability to fulfill more demand is limited. This is why our practice is to only buy new materials. Print-on-demand has become a new option in recent years. It's still an expensive process and is most often used for vanity or self-published items. A few movie studios print-on-demand classics, sometimes on a cheaper DVD-R format. We'll likely see changes in printing and copyright in the coming years.
In the meantime, we’ll continue to do our best by our patrons and replace popular titles when possible!
Frequently Asked Questions
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For physical items such as books, audiobook CDs, and DVDs
KCLS library cardholders with full privileges can request physical items to be considered for purchase.
Cardholders who have cards in the following statuses may not request purchases of physical items:
- Accounts with balances of more than $75 in fees
- Online registration
- Student cards
- eCards
For digital items such as eBooks and downloadable audiobooks
Library cardholders in these statuses may suggest a purchase of digital items:
- All-access cards
- Student cards
- eCards
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You can add new purchase requests using our "Request an Item" form.
Find a link to the form on our website. You no longer need to log in to your online catalog account. Instead, go to the "Books and More" menu at the top of our site. Under "Services," choose "Request Items for Purchase or Interlibrary Loan.”
If you’re using our app, find a link to the new form on the app home screen. Find the "Request items for Purchase or Interlibrary Loan" link under "Explore Further."
Or, find the new link under "Settings". First, select "Share Feedback," then navigate to the "Contact your library directly" section. Then use the link to "Request Items for Purchase or Interlibrary Loan."
Learn more about these changes.
For digital items such as eBooks and downloadable audiobooks
Library cardholders in these statuses may request a purchase of digital items using the Notify Me tag on the Libby App:
- All-access cards
- Student cards
- eCards
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If you’re looking for a specific digital title that we do not have, you can use a Notify Me tag in Libby. Notify Me will alert you if the library buys the title. However, not all publishers sell their content to libraries in digital format. If you cannot find a title in Libby’s catalog, then we cannot buy the item. You can learn how to use Notify Me with this tutorial or video.
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Yes. If the item is scheduled to be published within 3 months of the purchase request.
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You can use Notify Me in the Libby App to share requests for digital titles.
