Libraries, Amazon & You
By Gail McNair, Foundation for Lincoln City Libraries
The pandemic has taught us that online options, especially and including reading options, are important today and in the future. As Library supporters, I thought you would be interested in the information that was printed in the Washington Post by Geoffrey A. Fowler, their technology columnist. His article revealed that Amazon has become a “publishing powerhouse” and it “won’t sell downloadable versions of its more than 10,000 E-books or tens of thousands of audiobooks” to libraries. Amazon publishes books under their “own brands, including Lake Union, Thomas & Mercer and Audible,” making titles published by these companies potentially not available to libraries, including authors, like “Mindy Kaling, Dean Koontz, Trevor North” and more.
Libraries aren’t asking Amazon to donate access to books. Libraries typically pay more for E-books and audio books than for print books and then, after specified downloads, they disappear and must be re-purchased. In contrast, libraries receive a discount on print books that stay on the shelf until the library determines whether to keep it. Many book publishers allow authors to decide “how to distribute their work,” including selling to Libraries. “Amazon is the only big publisher that flat-out blocks digital collections.” Amazon sells some print books to libraries, but online versions have been off-limits.
What can we, as library supporters, do to ensure equal access to books with our library card rather than our credit card? One obvious, but not popular way, is not to shop with Amazon. Not purchasing books, either print or Kindle versions, from Amazon might be the better option— an individual choice. Asking authors to require Amazon to sell to Libraries is possible, as they may not be aware of Amazon’s practice. New York and Rhode Island have begun the process that “would require Amazon (and everybody else) to sell e-books to Libraries with reasonable terms.” A Maryland bill has already been approved by their General Assembly – its own “library e-book bill.”
Equal Access = Libraries is one of our mantras! Libraries provide the link that connects our citizens with books, jobs, and the world. As Americans, it’s our right and privilege to enjoy the benefits of our Libraries! “We need products that are made fairly, serve our needs and are equitably distributed.” Libraries are here for all of us!”
(Reprinted in part: Washington Post, March 10, 2021. Want to borrow that e-book from the library? Sorry, Amazon won’t let you. By Geoffrey A. Fowler.)
