Canadian Public Libraries: Fair eBook Prices Are Long Overdue

ReadersFirst is happy to share this news, as many of our Canadian members are involved with this initiative:

Toronto Public Library has launched an ebook advocacy campaign in collaboration with the Canadian Library Association, the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, and the Ontario Library Association. Many large public libraries in Canada have been working hard on these efforts and support the campaign. Here is the link to the press release where we announce that the Canadian Public Libraries for Fair Ebook Pricing is a coalition to raise public awareness of the high prices and other terms that the Big Five publishers impose on public libraries: http://torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com/news_releases/2015/06/fair-ebook-prices-are-long-overdue-.html

We want as many people as possible to visit fairpricingforlibraries.org to learn about this issue and spread the word on social media.

As background, like everyone else, we have been advocating for public library access to ebooks since 2010. Now we have great access to content, so we have turned our attention to high prices and unreasonable terms and conditions. We are advocating that the current pricing models are not sustainable. Public libraries need a range of pricing options and terms to allow libraries of all sizes to develop diverse collections of varying size, range and focus.

We have been in communication with ALA’s Digital Content Working Group to keep them informed of what we are doing, sharing information and collaborating.

Vickery Bowles

City Librarian, Toronto Public Library