Librarians to Macmillan: Don’t Lock Up E-Books

On November 1, Macmillan will restrict libraries to purchasing a single e-book copy during the first eight weeks of a book’s publication.

At an American Library Association press conference on September 11, librarians made a direct plea to Macmillan CEO John Sargent: abandon plans to embargo new release e-books in libraries. 

Speaking at the Nashville Public Library, and coinciding with this week’s Digital Book World Conference, ALA representatives announced an online petition (eBooksForAll.org) urging Sargent to reconsider the publisher’s recently announced embargo plan, reports Andrew Albanese, Publisher Weekly senior writer.

On November 1, Macmillan will restrict libraries to purchasing a single e-book copy during the first eight weeks of a book’s publication. Beyond that, libraries can license access additional copies for about $60 per copy for a term of two years or 52 lends, whichever comes first.

ALA also launched a new online book club, in partnership with OverDrive. The first pick will be Kassandra Montag’s debut novel After the Flood (HarperCollins), which will be available for unlimited e-book checkouts at public libraries from October 7-21, 2019

“The press conference’s clear aim was to help create public awareness of the issues libraries face in the e-book realm, and specifically to persuade Macmillan executives to abandon their plan to withhold new release e-books from libraries,” Albanese tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally.

“Librarians have long wrestled with complex terms and high prices for library e-books, prices which often run as much as four times the consumer price for a two-year license,” he explains. “Macmillan is currently the only major publisher pursuing an embargo policy.”

Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.