It is nearly impossible to build a collection as deep and rich as what we offer in print, even as demand surges for digital in libraries, especially in the wake of the COVID pandemic. In short, digital doesn't offer us the "bang for the book" that we have in physical materials. Increasingly, media companies are moving to streaming video, and libraries cannot share this content digitally, having to rely on DVD versions, if those are even produced. The Digital Public Library of America announced a deal to share Amazon's exclusive content on May 18 but Audible exclusives are still not available to libraries. Still, this is better than the publishers who do not share content with libraries at all. For example, President Obama's most recent book A Promised Land costs libraries $9.50 per patron use –not a price libraries can sustain. A pay-per-use option is offered, but it too can be cost-prohibitive. Some of the Big 5 still offer a perpetual license on audiobooks (which means we have no time limit on them) but at prices sometimes nearing $100, so that libraries are hard-pressed to get enough copies to meet demand. Will we get a reasonably return on our investment in them? With our ability to share the content only for one or two years, and at a price as much as five or six times what we pay for a print book, works by new authors or older titles that may not circulate heavily become a gamble to license. We must constantly relicense, often at relatively high prices. The licenses expire after a certain time or number of circulations. Some of the smaller and medium sized publishers have favorable terms for libraries, but all of the Big 5 publishers, who put out some 95 percent of the best- selling titles, have restrictive licenses for ebooks. What are the challenges associated with the current model? Unlike with a print book, which we buy, own, and circulate, digital content circulation is still owned the publishers, who can set limits on the length of time we have the rights to share it or even say we cannot even have a license at all. The most important thing to know is that libraries do not own most or nearly any of the digital content. What should library users know about how their libraries buy and share digital content like books, magazines, and films? Mary's County Library in Maryland and member of the ALA Joint Digital Content Working Group, to learn more about this hidden struggle: We recently caught up with Michael Blackwell, Director, St. The paper notes current and long-standing challenges in digital content lending and the issues that complicate acquisition of, user access to, and preservation of digital information. While patrons continue to discover and rely on digital content, libraries are engaged in a behind-the-scenes fight for fair pricing, multiple licensing models, and full access to digital content from publishers.Ī recent position paper from the American Library Association, “ The Need for Change: A Position Paper on E-Lending by the ALA Joint Digital Content Working Group (PDF),” calls for improved access, licensing models, pricing to serve readers and users of public, academic, and K-12 school libraries. According to OverDrive, a leading provider of digital library content, in 2020, readers worldwide borrowed more than 430 million ebooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines, an increase of 33% compared with 2019 figures. The pandemic continues to fuel increased demand from library users for digital content like ebooks, digital magazines, and more.
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