eBooks How-To

Publishers & Library eBooks

If you are wondering why you can't find that bestseller in the library's eBook collection, you can ask two questions: Is the publisher even allowing libraries to buy their eBooks, and if so, how much more are they charging libraries vs. the individual consumer? Many publishers seem to believe, falsely, that library eBook lending cuts into their business.

According to the American Library Association's "Frequently asked questions regarding e-books and U.S. libraries," the Big Five publishers (Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon and Schuster) control roughly two-thirds of the U.S. consumer book market.

• Hachette** did not begin offering eBook titles to libraries until May 1, 2013. The initial price is three times the print edition (this drops to 1.5 times the print edition after one year).
• HarperCollins has always offered eBooks to libraries but in February 2011, it imposed a limit of 26 check-outs per title. A library must re-purchase the title if more check-outs are needed.
• Macmillan didn't begin offering eBook titles to stand-alone libraries until January of 2013 (and then only a small number of them), and it wasn't until September of 2014 that their terms of service made titles available to library consortia. What is available can be lent out for two years or 52 check-outs, whichever comes first.
• Penguin Random House merged in July, 2013. Penguin eBooks are now available with a one-year expiration date. Random House has always offered eBooks to libraries but in March, 2012, they dramatically increased prices to libraries over what consumers pay.
• Simon and Schuster (PDF) agreed to extend its pilot program to all libraries on June 26, 2014. Each title that a library pays for is usable for one year from date of "purchase." "The library can offer an unlimited number of checkouts during the one-year term for which it has purchased a copy, although each copy may only be checked out by one user at a time."

**Note that, because of Hachette's terms of service to consortia, and because Selco denied our request to enroll in the OverDrive Advantage program, Hachette titles are not available to us. In summary: From the Big 5 publishers, we can only offer you eBooks from HarperCollins (with a 26-checkout limit), Penguin Random House (with expiration date or inflated pricing), Simon and Schuster (with an expiration date), and now Macmillan (with expiration date/checkout limit).

Licensing

Also note that neither the library, nor you as a consumer, actually purchase and own an eBook. We, and you, purchase a license to access the content of the eBook. See the ALA site for more information.

eBook Pricing

The fact that all of the "Big 5" publishers are making at least some titles available to at least some libraries, with inflated pricing and/or other restrictions, is an 'improvement' over where we have been in recent years. View more recent history on eBook availability and pricing.

Selection

And, ironically, the selection we offer you via your public library is better than the selection you will find via paid subscription eBook services, according to this August 12, 2014 Wall Street Journal article, "Why the Public Library Beats Amazon-for Now."

We think that publishers need to work harder with librarians to start making eBooks more accessible to the people we both serve - you, the reader!