Maryland Joins New York and Rhode Island in Digital Legislation

HB518 has dropped in the Maryland Legislative Session, joining previous bills from New York and Rhode Island “Requiring a publisher who offers to license an electronic book to the public to also offer to license the book to public libraries in the State on reasonable terms that would enable public libraries to provide library users with access to the electronic book; requiring the license terms authorizing public libraries to provide access to electronic books to include certain limitations and measures.”

The New York and Rhode Island bills were not acted on last year because of the onslaught of the COVID virus. They may be resurfaced this year. The Maryland bill is new this year.

None of these bills are “anti-publisher.” We in libraries don’t wish to do down the starving artist, emerging from the virtual garret with the next Great American Novel. We don’t want publishers to go out of business.

The bills are pro-reader. We just want residents to have access without undue restriction. It’s not like we in libraries have the money to provide so much digital access that we cost publishers that much business. Plus, we help the public discover (and ultimately buy) titles.

In any case, as we at RF always say, “it shouldn’t require a credit card to be an informed resident.”

So far, no organized opposition seems to be materializing. We’ll keep you posted on developments.

Similar Federal legislation would be helpful. We can hope it might emerge someday.