E-Books in public libraries

“Without any changes to the 1964 Act we could find the principle of free access to public library services becoming a thing of the past”Ebook Acquisition and Lending Briefing: Public, Academic and Research Libraries – CILIP.

” Dan Jarvis has called for the government to create a cross-industry task force to explore the issue of e-book lending in libraries. Jarvis said the taskforce should be chaired by an independent expert, to oversee discussions which he says are crucial to a 21st-century libraries model.” … “His calls come on the back of a meeting held between publishers, culture minister Ed Vaizey and Jarvis on Tuesday (3rd July) to discuss e-book lending and the extension of the Public Lending Right (PLR) scheme to e-books.”.  Task force to include librarians, authors and publishers. Jarvis calls for e-lending task force - BookSeller.

Against free library e-book accessible at home (Justin Tomlinson)

• Most publishers do not want e-book lending in libraries (DJ) therefore it’s better to charge to get them on board otherwise libraries are going to be left behind (JT)
• This would “protect footfall” by encouraging people to go to the branches to lend ebooks.  Model preferred by Justin Tomlinson is for ebooks only to be available for loan by going to the branch (JT)
• Charge for e-book lending profits would be divided  between library and publishers. (JT)

• if most publishers don’t want e-books then the Government should use the legislation already in place, section 43 of Digital Economy Act 2010 which allows for the introduction of public lending right of ebooks (DJ). 
• charging would deny universal access.  “Possession of an e-reader should not be indicative of the ability to pay for books loans” as many e-readers are gifts (PB)(Voices)
• charging for ebooks is the thin end of the wedge as would reduce resistance towards charging for printed books.  The “idea of a free library would have gone” (PB) leading to a two-tier approach.
• restricting access to ebooks limits access to housebound and those remote from nearest library (Voices)
• restricting access is artificial and counter-intuitive (PB, Voices) making the librarian look silly and unhelpful (PB) and preventing libraries from taking full advantage of modern technology (Voices)
• how would libraries work out how to allow distance access to ebooks for disabled, what criteria could be used? (PB).
• library usage statistics should include visits to websites/downloads so that public libraries would still be able to justify themselves (PB).
• “If libraries embrace the use of eBooks, by robustly promoting them, explaining to members how they are used and by making them freely available, library use will increase. Publishers will see better returns on their investments as library members often purchase the books they have read, or will buy others from the same author.” (PB)

This exchange then caused the Society of Authors to come on board with their views:

• Society of Authors letter to Ed Vaizey (sent on 1st May) is concerned about providing ebooks to public libraries.  While accepting the importance of libraries and ebooks to them, it wants a deal based on the following rules:

• Library ebooks do not compete with commercial sales of ebooks esp. in independent bookshops
• Loans must be “controlled and limited”
• Piracy is curtailed
• Public lending right payment to author, including in volunteer-run libraries.

Documents for the above article

• Dan Jarvis letter to Ed Vaizey asking for e-book taskforce (Google Docs)
• Ebooks in public libraries: response to the Publisher’s Association statement - Voices for the Library.
• Justin Tomlinson open email (Google Docs)
• Labour calls for an independent taskforce on ebook lending: Jarvis - Labour Party.
• Phil Bradley open email (Google Docs)