Introducing the Digital Shelf Publishing & Library Forum--First Event, December 9

Introducing a new free webinar series, The Digital Shelf Publishing & Library Forum, a collaborative webinar series from Lyrasis, ReadersFirst, and COSLA, that will provide a platform for open discussion about the evolving digital content ecosystem. Our goal is to foster honest, practical conversations between  libraries, publishers, and others in the book industry on complex topics like sustainable ebook pricing, AI in libraries, censorship and equitable access.

Don't miss our first event, the Ebook Advocacy Action Round Up, a fast-paced "lightning round" featuring updates from the leaders of key advocacy groups including Library Futures, ReadersFirst, Urban Libraries Council Action Team, Ebook Study Group, Boston Library Consortia, NY State Ebook Working Group, and CULC. Join us to hear the latest strategies for ensuring equitable access and sustainable ebook pricing, co-sponsored by ReadersFirst, COSLA, and the ALA Ebook Interest Group. It is December 9, from 1-2:30 PM Eastern

Register here. Librarians who attend can sign up here to receive free continuing education credits.

Presenters:

Michelle Reed, Library Futures: Michelle Reed is the Director of Programs for Library Futures, an organization that advocates for digital rights and equitable access to knowledge. She leads research and community initiatives aimed at driving the legal, political, and technological changes necessary to achieve open access for digital works and educational resources.

Lisa Wells, Urban Libraries Council Action Team: Lisa Wells is the Executive Director of the Pioneer Library System and a leader in the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) Action Team focused on digital content. She is a strong voice for political and community advocacy, working to secure equitable access and sustainable licensing terms for public library e-book collections.

Kyle Courtney, Ebook Study Group: Kyle Courtney is the Director of Copyright and Information Policy for Harvard Library and a co-founder of the Ebook Study Group. His work focuses on providing the legal research and multi-state coordination needed to address restrictive e-book licensing models, championing state-level legislation to ensure libraries can meet their public access missions.

Charlie Barlow, Boston Library Consortia: Charlie Barlow serves as the Executive Director of the Boston Library Consortium (BLC), a highly collaborative alliance of libraries across New England. He focuses on strengthening library collective action, advancing resource sharing, and establishing regional strategies to meet the evolving challenges of digital content distribution and licensing.

Amy Mikel, NY State Ebook Working Group: Amy Mikel is the Director of Customer Experience at Brooklyn Public Library and a key contributor to the NY State Ebook Working Group. She is instrumental in initiatives related to digital content accessibility and addressing censorship, particularly through her involvement with BPL's nationally recognized Books Unbanned project.

Vicky Varga, Canadian Urban Library Council (CULC): Vicky Varga is the Executive Director of Collections, Marketing, and Technology at the Edmonton Public Library and a leader within the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) Digital Content Working Group. She advocates for sustainable digital solutions for Canadian public libraries and oversees the national digital book club, One eRead Canada.

Micah May, Lyrasis: Micah May is the Director of Business Development for the Ebooks and Community Engagement (EBCE) division at Lyrasis, where he builds partnerships to support The Palace Project. With over 15 years of experience, Micah is a leader in technology and library innovation. He previously served as Director of Ebooks at the Digital Public Library of America, where he spearheaded the Palace Marketplace and Palace Bookshelf. He also directed technology for Library for All, launching ebook apps in developing nations. As a Senior Director at the New York Public Library, he led strategy and innovation, conceiving and directing SimplyE, an open-source platform that simplifies ebook access. He also secured over $250 million in ebook donations from publishers to create Open Ebooks, an app-based library for children in low-income communities. Micah holds a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School and a B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He began his career as a consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he helped create a new research and development group.