We know you love your eBooks, and therefore it’s important to let you know that beginning November 1, Macmillan Publishers will be severely limiting access to the Company’s latest eBook titles.
Macmillan Publishers will limit libraries to purchase only one copy of each new ebook title for the first eight weeks after a book’s release. That’s one copy of the latest Bill O’Reilly or Kristin Hannah title for the entire Aurora community of more than 200,000 residents. This embargo will limit ability of the Aurora Public Library to achieve its mission of providing access to the reading materials you want, when you want them. The embargo has an impact on those who need us the most: Those with mobility issues and low vision, who rely on ebooks for access to the world.
Macmillan is the only major publisher to propose such an embargo, although all of the Big Five major publishers restrict library purchases in some way. From the 300% upcharge in content compared to other consumers of eBooks to the financial limitations because we don’t purchase eBooks, we purchase licenses for an amount of time or number of checkouts for your favorite reads.
Macmillan is creating these limits because it believes libraries are “cannibalizing sales” for e-books, which is far from the truth: Libraries promote books and reading, and research shows that one out of two individuals purchase a book they first borrowed from a library, and that 76% of readers later purchase another title by an author they discovered at a library.
Now, what does this mean for you and your library? Beginning November 1, due to Macmillan’s embargo, there will be longer wait times for the first eight weeks of your favorite publications. All libraries, no matter the size, only will be allowed to purchase one copy of each new ebook title for the first eight weeks after a book’s release.
Readers can help us take a stand against all these restrictions and show publishers the value that libraries bring in offering digital content to you and many others! You can take action by:
• Signing a petition at p2a.co/fgcQkzV
• Tell Macmillan how you feel about this new policy. You can tweet @MacmillanUSA with the hashtag #eBooksForAll, or send a letter to John Sargent, chief executive officer Macmillan Publishing, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
• Spread the word!
• Share feedback with the Big 5 publishers, all of which impose restrictions on libraries lending e-content, most commonly by limiting access to titles so they expire after a number of checkouts or time frame.
• Macmillan: elending.feedback@macmillan.com;
• Penguin Random House: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/about-us/contact-us;
• Simon & Schuster: www.simonandschuster.com/about/contact_us;
• Hachette: www.hachettebookgroup.biz/contact-us;
• HarperCollins: www.harpercollins.com/corporate/customer-service/contact-us;
• Readers can continue to use our digital collections. We cannot demonstrate the value and need for access without your support in this way.
Miriam Meza-Gotto is communications manager for Aurora Public Library.