The EBook Study Group is Live!

The AAP and various affiliates have promulgated lots of disinformation—well, okay, lies—about library efforts to get fair library digital content licensing from the large publishers. (As always, thanks to the many, many medium, small, and indie publishers that do give us a fair deal and that have no worries about any state ebook bill/law). They claim that librarians are tools of “Big Tech.” They say we are out to destroy copyright and impoverish authors. They threaten state legislators with being the “Next Maryland”—that is, with a lawsuit over ebook bills, even though the existing bills are based on grounds other than the old Maryland law and the AAP knows it. One might expect better than the sort of thing that would do a Russian troll farm proud from groups that represent the publishers. If so, one would be sadly disappointed. Big 5 folks, are you ever disgusted by your Myrmidons’ tactics?

Kyle Cortney and Juliya Ziskina, copyright experts, with supporting organizations Library Futures, EveryLibrary Institute, the Authors Alliance, Connecticut Library Association, Massachusetts Library Association, and ReadersFirst (you know that was coming), have established the Ebook Study Group. The website sets out the problem that libraries face (using in part data from ReadersFirst, with special thanks to Carmi Parker), explain library efforts to confront unfair terms (including a useful bill tracker), dispel misconceptions, and invite your stories.

It is a must-see for all librarians, state (and, yes, federal) legislators, and the reading public.

ReadersFirst joins the call to action:

We encourage every librarian and community member to take the following steps:

Connect with state library organizations and legislative committees. Reach out to us if you need help finding contact information or making those connections.

Take action in supporting the bills in your state. Contact your local representatives to voice your support. Start or sign a petition in support of bills in your state.

If you do not already have an active bill in your state, contact local representatives and let them know you want to see one introduced.

Voice your support for eBook Study Group. Contact us to have your story posted on our website!

The publishers’ minions have made it clear that they will not only defend whatever unfair terms the publishers ask under copyright laws that are unbalanced for libraries and the public but also constantly seek to undermine rights that libraries have. Now is the time to act. We don’t have their huge budget to lobby, but, with your voice, we can make a difference.

U.S. libraries seem to spend somewhere between $425 to $520 million a year for digital content access. The exact number is difficult to determine. More granular statistics are needed. Publishers, aren’t we customers too? Why so unfair when we give you even more in far-less-costly print?