NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville Public Library said readers may soon be waiting much longer for some of its most popular titles because of a new policy created by a major publisher.
Macmillan, who is one of the "Big 5" publishers plans to implement the new policy. According to an email from Nashville Public Library Director Kent Oliver, "libraries will only be able to obtain a single copy of a new eBook for the first eight weeks after release. After that, libraries can buy as many copies as we like, but they will expire after two years or 52 checkouts, whichever comes first."
Libraries want public to protest publisher's e-book embargo
eBooks have become a very popular medium for NPL customers, according to library spokesperson Andrea Fanta, and the new policy would create much longer wait times for the library's most popular books.
"This is obviously going to cause a huge customer service issue for us," Fanta said. "If we are limited to only be able to buy one copy of popular titles when they just come out and are at their most popular, then our readers could have to wait a year or more."
Fanta stressed that libraries already pay more than the commercial price for eBooks, and have to renew purchases after a certain amount of time.
Now, NPL is joining other libraries across the country in a push against the publisher's new plan by creating the "eBooks For All" campaign.
