A closer look at e-lending rates reveals that concern over current prices is unwarranted. While libraries often pay $50 for a two-year license permitting unlimited electronic checkouts—triple the amount readers pay per e-book with a personal license—this rate saves libraries a great deal of money in the long run. Without the pricing differences between e-lending and personal licenses, it wouldn’t make financial sense for authors to offer their works to libraries at all.
Source: Why a State-Based Overhaul of US Copyright Law is a Bad Idea