UK Publishers Association Proposes Restricting Remote Library Ebook Lending
By David Rapp Oct 22, 2010Stephen Page, the CEO of publisher Faber and Faber, yesterday announced the UK-based Publishers Association's (PA) new guidelines regarding ebook lending, including one requiring patrons to be physically present at a library branch in order to download an ebook for borrowing, according to a report by the UK's The Bookseller. Page made the speech during the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) Public Library Authorities conference in Leeds, England.
The guideline seemed to have been informed, at least in part, by what Page described as library services lending ebooks remotely without geographical restrictions. "Under this model, who would ever buy an e-book ever again? Or any book for that matter?" Page said. He acknowledged, however, that some publishers might take a "more relaxed view" about remote downloading.
Page's speech sparked controversy and spread through the library world via Twitter and other outlets. It prompted a response from the CEO of U.S. ebook and media platform vendor OverDrive, the leading distributor of ebooks to U.S. libraries, as well as from the PA's chief executive.
OverDrive's Potash aims to quash overreaction, reassure publishers
OverDrive CEO Steve Potash released a statement in response today, which appeared to be aimed at assuaging publisher concerns.
"The Publishers Association is responding to a single isolated incident that was acted on within 24 hours of discovery," Potash said, apparently referring to Page's statement about library services lending ebooks remotely without geographical restrictions.
"In addition, our system has established checks to ensure that libraries are providing eBooks only to those customers in their service area," Potash said. "We have always enforced proper geographic restrictions on the eBooks in our catalog, and will continue to provide publishers with a safe and secure method for distributing eBooks to libraries and library customers online."
OverDrive works with more than 50 UK publishers that license ebooks for library lending, he said, and has licensed 14,000 ebooks in the UK and Ireland over the past six years.
PA guidelines set restrictive model
According to The Bookseller, Page said that after "useful discussions" with the UK-based Society of Chief Librarians, UK charity The Reading Agency, and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, the PA had created an "agreed base line position" on elending, which included the following: when a library purchases an ebook it will have the right to loan one copy of one ebook to one person for a fixed, short amount of time; patrons who check out the ebook must prove residency in the area which a library serves; and a lended ebook will expire at the end of the lending term.
The most controversial element of the PA's model, however, was the limitation to allow patrons to download ebooks only when they are actually physically present at a library branch. Page said during his speech that "[a]uthors and publishers cannot allow a universe in which ebooks can be accessed remotely for no charge without the strictest controls."
One commenter on The Bookseller story, who identified herself as Fiona Marriott of Luton Libraries (UK), wrote: "I can't believe the PA has declared war on libraries in this way."
PA chief executive weighs in
PA chief executive Richard Mollett released a statement today as well, saying that it was "disappointing" that the guidelines were being seen by some as a "declaration of war."
"As was said yesterday, it is of course possible that some publishers will take a more relaxed view of certain criteria—such as on remote access. That would be entirely a matter for them," he said, reiterating Page's statement. He also indicated that exceptions could be made for disabled patrons regarding remote access.
However, he appeared to support the main thrust of Page's speech, stating: "If ebook lending were untrammelled (as some comments seem to propose) it would pose an extremely potent threat to the retail market which in the long-term would undermine the ability of authors, and the companies which invest in them, to see a reward for their creativity."
