A New Reason to Bail on the iFad

Technology rolls onward, even unto my favorite of civic institutions. It seems that libraries all over the country are instituting audio-book lending programs. Which is rad. Unfortunately, in order to ensure that they are “lending” rather than “giving” the books most libraries seem to employ Microsoft’s Plays for Sure DRM scheme - which Apple (and the iPod) do not support.

Now, before you get all miffed at the Billionaire of the Year let me tell you why (in this instance) I support M$ and (not shockingly) your local library. Whatever your feelings on DRM, libraries in the United States have been giving it away for over 200 years. Ever since Ben Franklin formed the first free public lending library here in Philadelphia in 1731 those who want to restrict information essentially lost the battle. Everything else, as Ernest Rutherford said, is stamp collecting. The revolutionary act is the data transfer to your brain – not your bookshelf – and libraries facilitate that wonderfully. That being said, in order to deliver content in the electronic format libraries have to abide by the demands of rights holders – and at the moment that means DRM. Apple, unfortunately does not provide a facility to rent or lend data in their Fairplay DRM scheme, thus making it unusable for libraries and impossible for we iPod owners to access whatever electronic content the libraries provide. Of course, I guess we could just buy the books from the iTunes Music Store….or maybe consider something else when it comes time to buy that new mp3 player for, you know, “the gym”.