On Thursday at the Frankfurt Book Fair, “What’s Next for the Digital Library Market”—a rare panel on public libraries—featured three speakers who operate between publishers and libraries. Looking at circulation trends, Heather McCormack, director of digital content at OCLC CloudLibrary, noted that audiobooks began outperforming ebooks two years ago. Romantasy, she said, has outpaced thrillers as the top audio genre and that horror is growing. The majority of the panel focused on library lending terms from publishers, which have been a source of tension for years. The standard library model across publishing allows 26 lends before a library must repurchase […]
Libraries
Commissioned Economists’ Study Demonstrates that Increased Library eBook Lending Reduces Consumer Book Sales
The Association of American Publishers (AAP) and the Authors Guild jointly commissioned a comprehensive study on “The Impact of Library E-Lending on the Book Economy,” which demonstrates that a significant rise in library ebook borrowing leads to fewer book purchases in the retail marketplace. The new study both recognizes and respects “the crucial role of libraries as both public institutions and market participants” (unlike a recent survey by the Authors Guild on its own). The real target — and audience — is state legislators who continue to consider or pass laws that seek to interfere with Federal copyright by regulating […]
An Authors Guild Survey Actually Shows A Diverse, Robust Market for Books
An interesting Authors Guild consumer survey sheds light on the true size and richness of demand for books, reminding us that the market may be far larger than what common sales statistics reflect. Unfortunately, the headline—”Only 25 Percent of Readers Paid for a New Copy of a Print Book or Ebook Read in the Previous Month”—positioned the results as suggesting that authors are getting cheated by the many legal ways in which books can be acquired and read, and seemed to criticize people who love their local libraries. (“The study upends a common assumption about library borrowing: the readers most […]
Follett Street Date Program to Deliver Titles Before Publication
Follett has launched a program that aims to get libraries highly-anticipated new releases in advance of their on-sale dates. The Follett Street Date Program allows libraries to preorder select titles, which will be delivered in advance and held until the book publishes, the company states. “Patron expectations have never been higher,” ceo Britten Follett said in the release “When a title debuts on a to-be-watched list or gets major media momentum, libraries need to be ready to respond. The Follett Street Date Program helps our library partners do exactly that – reliably, affordably, and at scale.” Follett has also increased […]
ALA Employees Vote on Unionization
Starting April 24, workers at the American Library Association have been voting on unionization after the organization declined to voluntarily recognize their union, American Libraries magazine (which is published by the ALA) reports. Of 161 staff members, 101 are eligible to join ALA Workers United, which would be part of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 in Illinois. The ALA has gone through a series of cuts to staff over the past year, including layoffs and voluntary buyouts, and put a cap on raises for 2026 as the association aims to address a financial deficit, […]
Appropriations Bills Pass With Library Funding
After dismantling the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, which was later reinstated by a federal court, President Trump signed appropriations bills this month that increase funding for libraries, American Libraries magazine reports. The legislation allocates $212.5 million—a $1.4 million increase—for “library programs run by IMLS through the Library Services and Technology Act,” according to the ALA. Though funding for the IMLS itself decreased slightly, due to the reduction in staffing there. Funding for the Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) program, which is run predominantly through school libraries, was flat at $30 million. The office that administers the program was […]