E-Content Access and Pricing

Libraries want to provide their users with access to e-content.  However, this access is being threatened by pricing and distribution structures by the five major publishers.

• Each book that is purchased from one of the major publishers is only available to one user at a time.
• The price that libraries pay for e-books can be up to six times more than the retail price.
• Many e-books have expiration dates and will disappear from the library's collection.
• Certain e-books are not available to libraries.

Courtesy of Reaching Across Illinois Library System  (RAILS)