#eBooksForAll Campaign Update

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On December 17th, the ALA and PLA hosted a web update on the #ebooksforall campaign (with, at moment of writing, 231,784 Signatures on the petition). You may view the update here. Thanks to Larra Clark, deputy director for the PLA and ALA Public Policy & Advocacy Office, for organizational and emcee work..

ALA President Wanda Brown provided a general overview and discussed the formation of the new Digital Content Working Group, which will “explore options to improve access to digital content for libraries and the public,” both in the short term and the long term. Much more on this group’s activities in the month’s to come.

Ramiro S. Salazar, Public Library Association President and director of the San Antonio Public Library, called for united action from the ALA, PLA, ULC, CULC (don’t forget COSLA!) if we are to have any hope for meaningful action. Hear, hear! Mr. Salazar also explains (listen at the end of the program) that PLA has asked Macmillan for the list of libraries it said it consulted with before making its “windowing” decision and for the data upon which it based its windowing decision, claiming that libraries “cannibalize” sales. Mr. Sargent of Macmillan says he must review the data for various reasons but will release it. It will be interesting to see if it stands up to scrutiny. Let’s hope it is released before Mr. Sargent’s forum at ALA Midwinter.

Alan Inouye reviewed change in licensing models i the last five years and outlined action being taken in four areas:

  • Public Campaign, via #ebooksforall

  • Direct Engagement with Industry: usually with small groups, trying to build relationships, acknowledging complexity

  • Federal government intervention: working with “ongoing investigation into competition [or lack thereof!] in digital markets

  • State-level intervention

The final area is not yet well developed but may become a future focus. It may involve actually laws, but those might vary state-by-state. The ALA may work on a template of possibilities.

Lisa Rosenblum, Executive Director for the King County Library System, discussed their move to boycott Macmillan titles and perhaps more importantly, some of the steps she has taken for state action. She, and other partners in Washington State, are to be commended as leaders in taking action.

Hallie Rich, Communications & External Relations Director at Cuyahoga County Public Library, discussed an interesting template for measuring library marketing impacts for authors beyond the purchasing/licensing of content. What would such publicity cost the publishers in advertising if they were to undertake it on their own? A template may be found here, but it’s probably best to watch the webinar to get the context.

Hats off to all from RF for your advocacy!