Apple’s DRM News Said To Have Little Effect on Libraries, for Now

Raya Kuzyk -- Library Journal, 1/13/2009

• Music from Apple’s iTunes store to go DRM-free
• Recorded Books, OverDrive suggest some additional DRM-free content coming to libraries
• Other audiobook providers generally optimistic about Apple development

Apple's January 6 announcement that it would be dropping digital rights management (DRM) protections from the approximately ten million music tracks in its iTunes store sparked consideration of how—if at all—this development might impact audiobooks in the library market. 

Apple has yet to take the DRM-free plunge where audiobooks (and movies, and games) are concerned, and most of the audiobook providers with whom we spoke foresaw no changes to the current library-lending model of licensing to multiple users. Still, several were optimistic about the development and still others suggested more DRM-free offerings were in the pipeline for libraries. Below are their thoughts on the DRM-free user experience, on DRM’s efficacy as an anti-piracy measure, and on the prudence of its application in both the consumer and library markets:

Troy Juliar, publisher, Recorded Books:
“We’re much more cautious about going DRM-free in libraries than we are in retail and direct-to-consumer markets. Library/patron use is predicated on lending the title/file, not buying it. As such, we must show caution to make sure authors are fairly compensated. We cannot give patrons a title for free via libraries—we just want to enable access for a time. That said, we will experiment with a few hundred DRM-free titles in our library download program mainly to make sure offerings are iPod-compatible—not because we’re anxious to be completely DRM-free.”

Steve Potash, CEO, OverDrive:
“OverDrive is the leader in bringing downloadable MP3 audiobooks to libraries. [It] is leading the library market in bringing all formats of digital media to readers—including much more content without DRM during 2009.”

Michele Cobb, director of library marketing, Sound Library: BBC Audiobooks America:
"This is great for the consumer market, but it's not something we expect to see across the board in the library market, otherwise people would go around copying everything."

Todd Hoyt, cofounder/director of sales and marketing, Christian Audio and Hovel Audio Publishing:  
"I think this will help audiobooks in general. Based on articles I have seen from other publishers, and also on our own experience as a leading digital audiobook provider, DRM has only hurt the honest [individual] audiobook consumer. This should help the [audiobook] user experience, [and] that is…one positive aspect going forward as publishers and providers seek to grow the whole industry." 

Blake Squires, founder and chief strategy officer, Findaway, makers of Playaway®:
“Clearly if the digital content is not purchased (i.e. borrowed from a library or school or sampled as part of a promotion) publishers must—and have every right to—control the digital content via DRM. For purchased content, the publishing community has an opportunity to continue some control, so long as benefits to the consumer are provided. For example, audiobooks clearly are downloaded differently than music, are consumed differently than music, and due to the length, the metadata associated could be said to have more value than music metadata…. Therefore, DRM should be embraced by the publishing community as a means to provide a better consumer experience, and if this is achieved, the trade-off can be some form of control.”

Trond Knutsen, audio sales director, L.A. Theatre Works:
“Personally, I’m all for it, because the easier it is for people to access and download and use our products, the better. A War on Piracy, which I think the music industry is starting to realize, is futile. What I think we need to do is make it easier and better and safer and more fun for people not to download illegally.”