More Responses to the Macmillan Decision

Macmillan’s changes on e-books last week have one good outcome: uniting the library community to push back.

Canadian Urban Library Council has released this statement: http://www.culc.ca/cms_lib/CULC%20Statement%20on%20Macmillan%20US%20Lending.pdf

The statement notes that “For print books, which are protected by copyright law from library embargoes, libraries have a long history of serving as a place of discovery where readers can find new content and authors. Digital content should be no different.”

 ALA now has a page, with actions members of the library community and library users can take. Please add your voices:   http://www.ala.org/advocacy/e-books

 Urban Library Council has sent out this message:

We are writing this email during a break in the ULC Executive Board meeting being held in Calgary. We have just concluded a lengthy discussion on the e-book and audio book mess. 

Immediate actions include members of ULC and  the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) working together to:

 - identify the most critical issues that must be addressed and prioritizing these

 - develop strategies for moving forward as a united, powerful group of North America’s public libraries

 - engage all of our members and invite all other organizations and libraries to join a campaign that addresses the access and equity issues that endanger our democracy.

We will provide an update on initial steps by the end of next week and look forward to your input and guidance.

 Regards, Vickery Bowles

Chair, ULC Executive Board of Directors

 Susan Benton, President/CEO, ULC

ReadersFirst celebrates this announcement of joint action and hopes that we can make an appeal to perhaps our most powerful advocates, library readers.