Carmi Parker's Blackstone Update for 10/4/2019

ReadersFirst Working Group Member and Whatcom County Library System ILS Administrator Carmi Parker has provided an update on the Blackstone Boycott.

“The Berks County Public Library system joined us several weeks ago, announcing their plan to boycott both Blackstone Audio and Simon & Schuster audiobooks. The Reading Public Library, which is part of Berks County, is taking that two steps further and adding Macmillan and Hachette audiobooks to the boycott. Here is the Berks County announcement, including an image of their OverDrive stats related to these publishers’ eAudiobooks.

I also heard this week from Yolo County Library in California, which plans to boycott Blackstone and eBooks and eAudiobooks from Macmillan for six months. Here is Yolo County’s announcement. They also have shared the news on the California Library Association’s listserv.

We are proud to have these library systems join us and thank them for their work on behalf of patron access!”

Thank you, Carmi!

More and more libraries are signing on to ALA’s https://ebooksforall.org/ campaign. We are nearing 100,000 signatures. RF is working to have every Maryland library system sign on and get the word to patrons about unfair licensing practices. Why not join, if you haven’t already?