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Trustees warned that ebook licensing changes by major publishers will raise costs, limit access
Summary
Library leaders described recent changes by major publishers (Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster and others) that replace perpetual e‑book/audiobook ownership with time-limited or metered licenses; the board discussed higher long-term costs and possible organized responses.
Library staff told the Board of Library Trustees that changes in digital-license models by major trade publishers are reducing libraries' access to newly released ebooks and audiobooks, increasing costs and potentially limiting immediate access for low-income readers.
Michael Blackwell, director of the St. Mary's County Library, outlined a string of publisher policy changes since 2018: Tor (a Macmillan imprint) imposed a 120-day ebook embargo in July 2018; Penguin Random House moved from perpetual single-copy licenses to metered two-year/52-circ licenses in October 2018; other publishers have replaced perpetual ownership with…
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