Adapting the Netflix Model to Libraries...cool
Charging a fee for the service...not cool
Here's why I don't want this "fee based" service from my library...I already pay for it with Netflix...
Then again, if we could just simply freeze items on our hold list that we're not ready to read/watch/listen to, instead of just queuing them up in a particular order, I think this would be more beneficial to patrons.
I also feel that there's other benefits to Netflix that the library can't duplicate. The ability to see a list of movies we've already watched is one. Rating movies we've already watched, and seeing what our friends have at home or have already rated. The library is a long way from offering these services to me and the $13 I pay for the two movies we get at home every month is not killing our budget. Plus, I still use the library for movies...I just wait until the movies finally show up on the shelves after the 200 people who placed holds on them are done...if there's something I really want to see then I can order it on Netflix and get it in a day or two.
As for books, I rarely have time to read them but it would be nice to put them on my hold list as a "to read" item, it would stay there until I do have time and then I can get the requested item when I'm ready for it.
I agree that there's more that we could be offering our patrons for online services, but I hardly think that charging a fee for these services is the right direction...
