Blackstone continues library embargo

As you all may know, the Macmillan embargo of 2019 was not the first large publisher embargo.  The first was Blackstone Publishing, which distributes eAudiobooks for large publishers such as Hachette, Marvel, & Disney.  It did not place a library embargo on those titles, but on titles from its smaller publishing arm.  It created a contract in 2019 with Audible to offer up to 10 selected “home grown” titles exclusively on Audible for three months after release.  This exclusivity extends to library purchases, and appears to cover a range of titles, including exclusive eAudiobook versions of many works by Gabriel García Márquez (scroll to view the many titles with a ribbon stating “Only from Audible”).

Several libraries chose in 2019 to boycott Blackstone and Carmi’s consortium (Washington Digital Library Consortium) is currently still doing so.  I talked with Blackstone in 2019 and had reason to believe that their contract with Audible was for two years, expiring on June 30, 2021.  I wrote Blackstone a letter in spring 2021, requesting that if they renegotiate with Audible, they drop the library embargo requirement.  I have since learned that Blackstone appears to have renegotiated and has chosen to keep the library embargo.

I have recommended to my consortium that we drop our boycott because it is hurting patrons and clearly has no influence on Blackstone or Audible.  I believe the way to restore access to the content is to follow Maryland and New York’s lead and pursue legislative advocacy that would require libraries to be able to purchase eBook and eAudiobook content if it is offered for sale to individuals. ReadersFirst and its associated libraries encourage these companies to work with libraries now. Readers deserve access to all content through their libraries.