Public
libraries, unhappy over what they view as high prices and stringent terms for
e-books to lend their patrons, picked up an ally in their ongoing battle with
publishers: the National League of Cities (NLC), which represents some 19,000
cities and towns across the U.S.
The
NLC recently issued a press release backing the efforts of public libraries to
pressure publishers into making more e-books available for library loans, allowing
libraries to purchase e-books outright rather than license them, and reducing
prices charged to libraries, which are typically higher than consumer retail
prices.
Library
organizations, especially the American Library Association, have been waging a
campaign to stir up grass-roots support for their ability to acquire and lend e-book
titles. While the campaign mainly involves community libraries, academic
libraries are watching the response. The league’s endorsement included kudos to
several governmental bodies that passed legislation calling for investigations
into publishers’ e-book policies for libraries.
“City
officials can protect the library’s function to provide access to e-books and
other materials by encouraging oversight on publishers’ licensing practices,”
said the release. “That can mean adopting resolutions like that developed in
Montgomery County, MD, or urging their state legislators, Congress, the
Department of Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission to look into the unfair
e-books policies.”
