We've selected vendors that can provide our community with materials easily and affordably, but no vendor can provide every title. Publishers negotiate exclusive rights for vendors based on each title and format.
Publishers often limit how many people can use the books at once. Like physical books, only one person can check out a copy at a time. Digital books cost more for libraries, and publishers often impose expiration dates on licenses, further limiting access.
Spread the word and sign up to be a library advocate. Help ensure fair pricing of ebooks and audiobooks.
Public Libraries, Publishers & your Ebooks
Publishers charge libraries significantly more for ebooks and audiobooks than print copies of the same book.
"But digital books have to be cheaper, like on Amazon, right?"
Actually, no. Libraries pay much more for ebooks and audiobooks than you would pay for a digital or physical book.
This means we can't purchase as many copies!
Some publishers restrict how long a book is available or the number of times it can be borrowed. We then need to repurchase the title so it stays available.
We often can't buy many new books since we need to constantly repurchase the high-demand books from publishers.
These lending models are determined by the publishers
and can change at any time:
One Copy/One User (OC/OU)
Like the physical books in your library, one copy per person. Multiple copies must be purchased to loan to more than one person at a time.
Metered Access (MA)
One of the more popular licenses for publishers, these books expire from the library collection after a period established by the publisher. Since the demand for these titles is often still high, libraries must repurchase them.
Cost Per Circ (CPC)
Libraries only pay for what is borrowed. CPC copies can be borrowed by an unlimited number of patrons at once until a set budget cap is met.
Subscriptions (SU)
These books can be checked out by an unlimited number of users at the same time for a set amount of time.
Demon Copperhead,
by Barbara Kingsolver
Ebook: $12.99
Audiobook: $35.43
The Library Pays:
85 (MA) ebooks @ 137 =
$11,665 spent
The Women,
by Kristin Hannah
Ebook: $14.99
Audiobook: $25.74
The Library Pays:
703 (MA) ebooks @ $60 =
$42,180 spent
Fourth Wing,
by Rebecca Yarros
Ebook: $14.99
Audiobook: $25.79
The Library Pays:
285 (MA) ebooks @ $60 =
$17,100 spent
Become A Library Advocate!
Sign up with NYLA (New York Library Association) to receive alerts when your action is needed for your library.
Visit their page at:
https://www.nyla.org/advocacy
Access to ebooks and audiobooks should be a right. No one should be limited by ability to pay for them.