Brunswick Community Library

Publishers, Don’t Be a Scrooge!

Posted on November 28th, 2012 by julie

Major publishers are keeping e-books from libraries and you

The major publishers are not selling to libraries—including the Upper Hudson Library System—or they are selling e-books at inflated prices or with heavy restrictions.Our library is confused and frustrated by publishers’ unwillingness to allow libraries to participate in the e-book marketplace. Publishers have not provided a clear answer to their blockade of libraries or holding them hostage to outrageously exorbitant prices 100-300% higher than list prices or burdensome restrictions.

You can help!

Would you like to find more choices and easier downloading of free e-books at Brunswick Community Library? Please use the following template to send an email message to publishers and ask them to sell e-books to libraries.

Send to each of these publishers listed below in the template as separate emails or copy and paste all addresses to the bcc line.
Cc Brunswick Community Library at library@brunswicklibrary.org
Copy and paste the subject line into your email message.
Copy the full message below into your email message and modify as you would like.

Thank you!

E-mail message for publishers not selling to libraries

Please send this email to publishers who are not selling to libraries:

TO: customer.service@hbgusa.com — Hachette Book Group

customerservice@mpsvirginia.com – Macmillan Publishing

librariansden@us.penguingroup.com – Penguin Group

www.simonandschuster.com/about/contact_us – Simon & Schuster – This is actually an online form where you can copy, paste, and submit the message below.

Cc: library@brunswicklibrary.org

FROM: This will come from your email address

SUBJECT: Sell E-books to Libraries

MESSAGE:

Please sell e-books to libraries, especially the Upper Hudson Library System. I have long supported publishers with my purchase of and checkout of books. I want to continue to support you with checking out e-books from libraries.

Thank you for your continued support of libraries being the backbone of democracy. They are the true equalizer, welcoming all. Libraries represent some of the core values of this country—the freedom to read, the freedom to learn, and universal access to books. How does it make sense to withhold e-books from people who depend on libraries?

Thank you for your expedient attention to this important matter.

E-mail message for publishers selling at excessive prices or restrictive requirements

Please send this email to publishers who are selling e-books at excessive prices or restrictive requirements to libraries.

TO: spsales@harpercollins.com – HarperCollins Publisher

library@randomhouse.com – Random House, Inc.

Cc: library@brunswicklibrary.org

FROM: This will come from your email address

SUBJECT: Stop Over-Charging and Restricting E-books in Libraries

MESSAGE:

Please stop selling e-books to libraries, especially the Upper Hudson Library System, at over-priced rates. Charge the 122,000 libraries and 169 million public library customers at the same rate you sell to online bookstores. It is outrageous that you are charging inflated prices averaging 100-300% higher than list prices. Also, restrictions on the number of times we can check out an e-book should not be set by publishers. You don’t restrict the number of times print books can be checked out.

I have long supported publishers with my purchase of and checkout of books. I want to continue to support you with checking out e-books from libraries.

Thank you for your continued support of libraries being the backbone of democracy. They are the true equalizer, welcoming all. Libraries represent some of the core values of this country—the freedom to read, the freedom to learn, and universal access to books. How does it make sense to hold libraries hostage with bloated prices and keep e-books from people who depend on libraries?

Thank you for your expedient attention to this important matter.

Thanks to the Pierce County Library System in Tacoma, WA on whose website this post originally appeared.

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