"Another One Rides the Bus" (with apologies to Weird Al and Queen)

Simon&Schuster has gotten on the Big Bus to Ignore LibraryLand, joining Hachette, Penguin Random House, and MacMillan/Tor with new licensing models.

The news is not entirely bad for libraries: S&S’s new two year, one copy/one user model is more favorable than their previous one-year model. They are not embargoing titles—and that’s surely worth two cheers. And while most librarians would prefer a perpetual access license option to pay-per-use—the latter model can be a budget buster—at least they are offering options.

Joining Hachette in metering digital audiobooks, however, is a definite setback for libraries. It will make providing long-term access more expensive, less certain, and more work to manage.

ReadersFirst sends a thanks to Harper Collins. HC, there were a lot of haters when you were the first to switch to the 26 circ no-time-limit model, but overall your terms are the most friendly to libraries now. Please, please, pretty please, with more library $$ on it, would you add a perpetual access model, even if at a higher price?

The ALA Resolution to advocate for library digital access is timely—or, badly overdue, but we won’t charge late fees to the ALA. RF pledges support. Can we form a group from COSLA, ALA, ASGCLA, ULC, and CULC for joint action? The time is now!