It's not the library: it's the eBook provider. They decree that if the library has purchased one copy of an eBook, then only one copy can circulate at a time. The book must be "returned" before anyone else can check it out. Depending on the software, the files are either deleted or simply made inaccessible. The books also return automatically, so if you have a one week loan period and you wait eight days, the book won't be available unless you download it again.
Some publishers are declining to sell eBooks to libraries at all; another wants to limit the number of circulations to something like 26. After the book is downloaded 26 times, the library must repurchase the title to have it available.
This is a hotly contested topic right now and I don't know how it will shake out. The publishers are having to adapt to this new model as well. Their stance is much the same as it used to be with hard copy books: why sell one copy to a library when they could make more by selling a copy to each reader? The old answer to that came in the fact that libraries introduce readers to new authors and build a demand for that author. James Patterson doesn't necessary need libraries to buy his book but Richard Roe, fledgling author with three titles to his credit amid a sea of authors, needs libraries to have his books in stock and to give people a chance to sample his work. Amazon is testing these waters by providing some free sample chapters to download or occasionally free or 99 cent books. Again, the catch is that there are thousands of authors out there, many now eschewing traditional publishers to self publish. At this point, we don't know how it's
going to be resolved.
Devices are another factor. Overdrive is the most used software for library eBooks. Until recently, they didn't carry Kindle compatible books but a deal was finally struck with Amazon to do so. See above: why should amazon allow free downloads on their subsidized devices instead of making the owner pay for books through Amazon? There are still some unsupported devices, but most of the biggies (iPad, iPhone, iPod, Nook, Sony eReader, etc.) are.
I'm rather a dinosaur in that I prefer paper books. I look at a screen a good portion of my day at work, and when it's time to read for pleasure, I prefer paper.
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