Ebooks, Publishers and Libraries. A Bibliography Of The Conflict
Publishers and Libraries have been at odds over ebooks for some time now. I’ve collected a sampling of articles and blog posts from the past 18 months chronicling the conflict.
What Do Children’s Book Consumers Want?
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Publication | PublishersWeekly.com |
| Date | 31 Jan 2011 |
| URL | http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/45943-what-do-children-s-book-consumers-want-.html |
Notes:
- Librarians affected 24% of YA reading decisions, bookstores not so much.
- Over 80% of teens don’t read e-books, with only 5% saying that they do so frequently.
How Libraries Are Bypassing Big Publishers To Build Their E-Book Offerings
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Author | Laura Hazard Owen |
| Publication | paidContent |
| Date | 16 May 2011 |
| URL | http://paidcontent.org/article/419-how-libraries-are-bypassing-big-publishers-to-build-their-ebook-offerin/ |
Notes:
- librarians are turning to smaller presses, which are less
restrictive about offering access to their ebooks. - [Angela James, Executive Editor of Harlequin’s Carina Press] predicts that romance e-book originals will be a hit for libraries. “Romance readers are such voracious readers and they can’t
afford to buy all that content,” she says. They also tend to be very loyal to specific authors, so checking out e-books in libraries gives them a chance to try out authors they’re unfamiliar with, she says.
E-Book Checkouts From Libraries Up 200 Percent Over 2010
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Author | Laura Hazard Owen |
| Publication | paidContent |
| Date | 2011 Oct 12 |
| URL | http://paidcontent.org/article/419-e-book-checkouts-from-libraries-up-200-percent-over-2010/ |
Notes:
- more readers are now browsing library offerings from their smartphones and tablets, and mobile checkouts now make up 21 percent of overall checkouts, OverDrive says.
- Over 15,000 public and school libraries are using OverDrive
- two-thirds of public libraries in the U.S. now offer e-book checkouts.
- OverDrive says e-book checkouts nearly tripled through September 30, compared to all of 2010. E-books have been checked out 12 million times so far this year.
Why Might A Publisher Pull Its E-Books From Libraries?
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Author | Laura Hazard Owen |
| Publication | paidContent |
| Date | 2011 Nov 22 |
| URL | http://paidcontent.org/article/419-why-might-a-publisher-pull-its-e-books-from-libraries/ |
Notes:
- Penguin, citing security concerns, is pulling its new e-books from libraries—and making none of them available for library lending through Kindle
Could ebooks kill off our libraries? Publishers show security concern
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Author | Ross McGuinness |
| Publication | Metro UK |
| Date | 2011 Nov 24 |
| Section | In Focus |
| Short Title | Could ebooks kill off our libraries? |
| URL | http://www.metro.co.uk/news/newsfocus/882736-could-ebooks-kill-off-our-libraries-publishers-show-security-concern |
Notes:
- “One of the key places authors are discovered is at libraries. To a
certain extent, by doing this, Penguin is cutting off its nose to spite
its face.’
Library Wars: Amazon and Publishers Vie for Control of E-Book Rentals
| Type | Web Page |
|---|---|
| Author | Peter Osnos |
| Website Title | The Atlantic |
| Date | Dec 6 2011, 1:25 PM ET |
| Short Title | Library Wars |
| URL | http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/12/library-wars-amazon-and-publishers-vie-for-control-of-e-book-rentals/249544/ |
Notes:
- “When Amazon changed that policy this past September, library patron access to
e-books substantially increased, and publishers privately expressed concern that substantial numbers of e-book buyers would become borrowers instead.” - “According to Publishers Weekly, Ruth Liebmann, director of
account marketing at Random House, made the best case on behalf of
the libraries earlier this year. “A library book does not compete with
a sale,” she said, “A library book is a sale.” Libraries are comparable to independent booksellers as a percentage of business, and they “never send books back.” - “Among the big six publishers, only Random House has been selling e-books to libraries without restrictions, and a spokesman said that it is now “actively reviewing” its position. Macmillan and Simon & Schuster do not sell e-books to libraries at all. Hachette and Penguin withhold their newest titles, and HarperCollins caps the number of times a book can be loaned at 26 after which, in principle, it needs to be repurchased.
For Libraries and Publishers, an E-Book Tug of War
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Author | Randall Stross |
| Publication | The New York Times |
| Date | 2011-12-24 |
| Section | Business Day |
| ISSN | 0362-4331 |
| URL | http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/business/for-libraries-and-publishers-an-e-book-tug-of-war.html |
Notes:
- On Friction :”Borrowing a printed book from the library imposes an inconvenience upon its patrons. “You have to walk or drive to the library, then walk or drive back to return it,” says Maja Thomas, a senior vice president of the Hachettte Book Group” — Hachette stopped making its e-books available to libraries in 2009.
No More New Penguin Digital Audiobooks For Libraries, Either
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Author | Laura Hazard Owen |
| Publication | paidContent |
| Date | 18 Jan 2012 |
| URL | http://paidcontent.org/article/419-no-more-new-penguin-digital-audiobooks-for-libraries-either/ |
Notes
- Hoping to skirt Penguin’s library e-book restrictions by checking out a hot new title as a digital audiobook instead? Sorry, that strategy will no longer work as Penguin changed its library policies again today.
New Stats: 2011 Libraries’ Digital Checkouts Up 133% Over 2010
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Author | Laura Hazard Owen |
| Publication | paidContent |
| Date | 19 Jan 2012 |
| URL | http://paidcontent.org/article/419-new-stats-2011-library-e-book-checkouts-up-133-over-2010/ |
Notes:
- Publishers are pulling e-books and digital audiobooks from libraries, but the demand for those materials is increasing exponentially: New stats from digital library distributor OverDrive show that library patrons checked out 35 million digital titles* in 2011, up from 15 million checkouts in 2010.
Ebook library borrowing hits record pace
| Type | Web Page |
|---|---|
| Author | Matt Hamblen |
| Website Title | MacWorld |
| Date | 2012 Jan 20 |
| URL | http://www.macworld.com/article/164918/2012/01/ebook_library_borrowing_hits_record_pace.html |
Notes:
- Boston libraries – ebook demand more than tripled in December, compared to December 2010. For the first half of January, more than 700 people a day tried to borrow an ebook, or added
their name to a long waiting list for some of the more popular titles. - New York Public Library – 2907 ebooks and materials were checked out on Dec. 26, 2011, vs 1523 checked out on the same date in 2010
ALA Midwinter 2012: ALA To Meet With Top Executives of Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, and Penguin on Ebook Lending
| Type | Web Page |
|---|---|
| Author | Michael Kelley |
| Date | 2012 Jan 22 |
| URL | http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/01/publishing/ala-to-meet-with-top-executives-of-macmillan-simon-schuster-and-penguin-on-ebook-lending/ |
Pew Says Ownership of Tablets and E-Readers Doubled Over the Holidays
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Author | Peter Brantley |
| Publication | PublishersWeekly.com |
| Date | 22 Jan 2012 |
| URL | http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/50311-pew-says-ownership-of-tablets-and-e-readers-doubled-over-the-holidays.html? utm_source=Publishers+Weekly%27s+PW+Daily&utm_campaign=5a04d98dd2-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=email |
Notes:
- The Pew Internet and American Life Project today released a mini-report on the adoption of tablets and e-readers that the number of Americans owning e-reader devices jumped from 18% to 29%, meaning that nearly 1 in 3 Americans now owns a device.
- the recent launch of Apple’s iBooks Author with a proprietary ibooks format, and the tremendous success of the Kindle Fire tablet with Amazon’s proprietary KF8 format, highlights the growing silo-ization of the e-book market
The Santa Barbara Independent Digital Lending Attracts New Users to the Public Library
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Publication | The Santa Barbara Independent |
| Date | 2012 Jan 23 |
| URL | http://www.independent.com/news/2012/jan/22/digital-lending-attracts-new-users-public-library/ |
Penguin Severs Ties with OverDrive
| Type | Newspaper Article |
|---|---|
| Author | Calvin Reid |
| Abstract | Penguin is terminating its contract with OverDrive, the library digital vendor, and starting February 10 will cease to offer any of its e-books or audiobooks to libraries. |
| Publication | PublishersWeekly.com |
| Date | 9 Feb 2012 |
| URL | http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/50579-penguin-severs-ties-with-overdrive.html? utm_source=Publishers+Weekly%27s+PW+Daily&utm_campaign=d8a2184fed-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=email |
Penguin Group Terminating Its Contract with OverDrive — The Digital Shift
| Type | Web Page |
|---|---|
| Author | Kelley |
| Date | 9 Feb 2012 |
| URL | http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2012/02/ebooks/penguin-group-terminating-its-contract-with-overdrive/ |
We will measure our loss « PWxyz
| Type | Web Page |
|---|---|
| Author | Peter Brantley |
| Date | 13 Feb 2012 |
| URL | http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/PWxyz/2012/02/13/we-will-measure-our-loss/ |
Notes:
- Ebooks are curb cuts for libraries…. At the moment when we have the opportunity to
improve the lives of many of our neighbors, publishers concern themselves with competitive positioning and an appropriate amount of “friction” in library access. - “Libraries are not auto parts dealers, and Penguin is not an automobile manufacturer, unhappy that a distributor is making non-OEM parts available to consumers. Not permitting libraries to lend ebooks means that some people have less opportunity in their lives than others. That requires a better explanation than being scared about the revenue impact of letting people read for free without having any data to back it up.”
Melville House Books » Libraries respond to Penguin, and it’s not pretty
| Type | Blog Post |
|---|---|
| Author | Dennis Johnson |
| Abstract | Fallout continues over Penguin’s decision to terminate its contract with library ebook distributor OverDrive |
| Blog Title | Melville House books |
| Website Type | Blog |
| Date | 13 Feb 2012 |
| URL | http://mhpbooks.com/49509/libraries-respond-to-penguin-and-its-not-pretty/ |
Notes:
- “I think it’s about damn time we, as library professionals, started getting the public riled up about this,” Houghton explains in a post on her personal blog, Librarian in Black. “I am tired of publishers walking away from the library table.”
-
TOC 2012: LeVar Burton, Libraries and The Bookstore of the Future
Type Newspaper Article Author Calvin Reid Abstract O’Reilly Media’s Tools of Change conference returned to New York
with a typical high profile slate focused on publishing innovation
driven by technology and a new vision of just what publishing can mean.Publication PublishersWeekly.com Date 15 Feb 2012 Short Title TOC 2012 URL http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/conferences/article/50644-toc-2012-levar-burton-libraries-and-the-bookstore-of-the-future.html One Year Later, HarperCollins Sticking to 26-Loan Cap, and Some Librarians Rethink Opposition — The Digital Shift
Type Web Page Author Michael Kelley Date 2012 Feb 17 URL http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2012/02/ebooks/one-year-later-harpercollins-sticking-to-26-loan-cap-and-some-librarians-rethink-opposition/ Be Grateful Publishers Don’t Like You « Annoyed Librarian
Type Web Page Author Annoyed Librarian Date 20 Feb 2012 URL http://blog.libraryjournal.com/annoyedlibrarian/2012/02/20/be-grateful-publishers-dont-like-you/ Notes:
- The lesson? Libraries have no clout when it comes to ebooks and they’ll take a bad deal over no deal at all. Good bargaining strategy!
Harry Potter E-Books Will Be In Libraries
Type Newspaper Article Author Laura Hazard Owen Publication paidContent Date 2012 Feb 27 URL http://paidcontent.org/article/419-harry-potter-e-books-will-be-in-libraries/ Notes:
- “Publishers who do not participate in e-book library lending are
concerned that digital library checkouts may cut into paid book sales ….but Rowling and Pottermore clearly feel that the benefits of making the e-books available in school and public
libraries outweigh any disadvantages.”
ALA calls on Random House to reconsider major ebook price increase
Type Web Page Date 2 March 2012 URL http://www.ala.org/news/pr?
id=9560Rich Books, Poor Society: Random House’s Price Spike « PWxyz
Type Web Page Author Peter Brantley Date March 5 2012 URL http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/PWxyz/2012/03/05/rich-books-poor-society-random-houses-price-spike/ ALA Asks Random to Scale Back Price Hikes
Type Newspaper Article Author Andrew Albanese Publication PublishersWeekly.com Date March 5, 2012 URL http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/50923-ala-asks-random-to-scale-back-price-hikes.html?
utm_source=Publishers+Weekly%27s+PW+Daily&utm_campaign=0704dd78f5-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=emailNotes:
- “I am deeply disappointed in the severe escalation in e-book pricing,” Raphael said.
“The American Library Association strongly urges Random House to reconsider its decision. In a time of extreme financial constraint, a major price increase effectively curtails access for many libraries, and especially our communities that are hardest hit economically.”
WHAT’S NEXT?: Access to e-books at public libraries uncertain, despite popularity of e-readers – thenewsherald.com
Type Web Page Author Sean Dalton Date March 14, 2012 URL http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2012/03/14/news/doc4f60d3ee4f895032763275.txt At Busy PLA, ALA President Molly Raphael Talks E-Books
Type Web Page Author Andrew Albanese Date March 16, 2012 URL http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/51095-at-busy-pla-ala-president-molly-raphael-talks-e-books.html Notes:
- “we do think authors would like to know that their e-books are not available in libraries, and they can decide what they want to do.”
Thinking more about ebooks and libraries and what big publishers should do – The Shatzkin Files
Type Web Page Author Mike Shatzkin Date March 18, 2012 URL http://www.idealog.com/blog/thinking-more-about-ebooks-and-libraries-and-what-big-publishers-should-do Over 2/3 of U.S. libraries offer e-books; 28% lend e-readers — paidContent
Type Web Page Author Laura Hazard Owen Date April 9, 2012 URL http://paidcontent.org/2012/04/09/over-23-of-u-s-libraries-offer-e-books-28-lend-e-readers/ At West Coast Meeting, Digital Public Library of America Begins to Take Shape
Libraries, publishers at odds over access to
Type Newspaper Article Author Terry Evans Publication Star-Telegram Date Jun 10, 2012 Section Business URL http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/06/10/4021727/libraries-publishers-at-odds-over.html Notes:
- Until conditions imposed by publishing companies through the distribution
consoles are changed, Fort Worth library spokesman Adam Wright said, the battle will rage on. Like many other librarians, he hopes the public will push for legislation similar to the first-sale doctrine.
BEA 2012: Libraries Still Draw the Short Stick
Type Web Page Author Dan Tonkery Abstract BEA, or Book Expo as it is better known, was at the Javits Center
June 5-7, 2012 and the 30,000 attendees filled the exhibit hall with
more excitement than in past years. Many of the exhibitors were pleased
with the foot traffic. With more than 1,300 exhibitors and more than 600
authors available for autographs, the hall was filled to near capacity.
In the midst of the positive atmosphere, there was still some
controversy among publishers concerning the DOJ action against Apple and
the fear that Amazon is getting much too powerful. Amazon, already the
largest supplier of print and electronic books, became the largest
publisher of self-published books in 2011. The company just announced
its latest acquisition of Avalon, another print publisher as it
continues to build up its imprints.Date 11 June 2012 Short Title BEA 2012 URL http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/NewsBreaks/BEA–Libraries-Still-Draw-the-Short-Stick-83098.asp Notes:
- “publishers want to make sure that selling ebooks to libraries will not destroy their business. Research has shown that device owners are far more likely to buy an ebook than they are to borrow. Publishers are not anxious to have their books loaned at the expense of sales. So, the industry is at an impasse and that situation is not likely to change until further negotiation is conducted.”