How Do We Fix e-Book Markets? A Discussion on the Future of Libraries and Authorship

In the majority of cases libraries no longer own their eBook collections – and unless there is much needed reform they never will. As publishers have abandoned copyright law in favour of choosing whether to lease digital content to libraries (or not), age-old practices undertaken in the public interest are brought into question. These include important activities such as common access irrespective of an individual's financial position, collection development, teaching, preservation and cultural heritage. When books are not available to readers from libraries, authorship is also undermined. Libraries are places that encourage reading, research and intellectual exploration, and less access to materials from libraries impacts on an author's capacity to create new works and for their works to be discovered. Moreover, they will have no guarantee that their own works will be available to new readers when publishers no longer find them commercially viable to keep "in print" on eBook platforms. This webinar discussed the eBook crisis libraries, educators and authors face with international thought leaders in the sector. Exploring the many issues that have arisen as collections are increasingly leased and not owned, the session took the form of a wide-ranging interview and discussion with our panellists. Panellists: Caroline Ball (Co-founder of eBookSOS / Academic Librarian, University of Derby / Trustee, WikimediaUK), Mikkel Christoffersen (Chief Consultant, Copenhagen Libraries), Dave Hansen (Executive Director, Authors Alliance), Cathal McCauley (President of the Library Association of Ireland / University Librarian, Maynooth University).