The digital revolution in publishing doesn’t play favorites. When it comes to e-books, change has come for author, publishers and libraries alike.
Once upon a time, libraries were about access to books – period – and in that line of work, they held a monopoly. In the digital world of 2014, though, libraries are concerned with all types of media, and they face competitive challenges never envisioned in the past.
At the recently concluded Midwinter Meeting of the American Libraries Association, a report from the Digital Content Working Group found forward momentum in discussions to make more e-books available in public library lending catalogs.
“The most striking change has been a change in the temperature of the talks between libraries and publishers,” says Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer. “The question previously was whether publishers should have library e-book lending. According to the ALA group, the question now,” he tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally, “is how to do that lending.”
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Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.