Harper Collins places limits on library lending: expires at 26 times – Pics

Libraries have had to dramatically change their policies in eBook lending.  After the library lends an electronic book out a total of 26 times, they will have to buy another copy.

Bloggers are starting a revolt to try to eliminate this change and go back to the old model which is to treat eBooks just like physical books.

On Friday, February 25, 2011, Harper Collins changed its policy for library lending. Just like a physical book, eBooks may only be lent out to one person at a time.  The difference is that once an eBook has been lent out 26 times, it self-destructs and the library has to purchase another license if it wants to carry the eBook.

Free Range Librarian K. G. Schneider is really angry over the new policy: I’m most perturbed by the long-range implications of an economic model — already based on “license” versus “ownership” — that, if adopted by other publishers, would destroy the role literature plays as our culture’s “memory work” — the growing opus collected and managed by libraries that help shape who we are as humans.

Librarian In Black reports that the publishers of eBooks want to make sure the sales of hard copy books are not affected by the lending of eBooks: Let me also point out that the last sentence (bolded) seems to indicate that the publishers want to make sure that libraries choosing to buy digital copies aren’t doing so as a replacement for physical copies.

Bloggity-Blog-Blog-Blog reveals another restriction that also invades a library user’s privacy by requiring them to validate where they live and the titles they have borrowed: Further, some unnamed publisher, possibly HarperCollins, wants libraries to turn over patron information to Overdrive so they can be certain that libraries are not lending ebooks to people who live out of the service area of the libraries.

Bloggers have also revealed two other requirements that are adding to the discussion.

The publishers are requiring information on where you live, work, and go to school.  They may even prohibit you from checking the eBook out if you do not meet the geographic requirements of the publisher for a particular title.

 Finally, a library may be prevented from licensing an eBook if their collection of books and eBooks does not meet the publishers’ requirements, which are defined solely by the publisher and can change at any time.