«We developed the «Scorecard» to ensure that librarians have the information they need to better negotiate
ebook licensing agreements with publishers,» said Erika Linke, co-chair of the DCWG's business models subgroup.
This loosens the limitations of interlibrary loan — a primary library service that is excluded in most
ebook license agreements.
Not exact matches
From
licensing agreements over how many
ebook checkouts a single library can use to how to put audio content on patrons» personal devices, the options have been not only limited, they've been somewhat cost prohibitive.
This
License Agreement permits you to install the
ebook on any and all your devices for your personal use only.
This
license and your right to use the
ebook terminate automatically if you violate any part of this
Agreement.
The End User
License Agreement that is included with every font software package does not allow the redistribution of the font data, such as when fonts are embedded into
eBooks.
(2) Libraries should have an option to effectively own the
ebooks they purchase via
licensing agreements.
Here, let me summarize a report (from January 25, 2013) from the Digital Content & Libraries Working Group (DCWG) that discusses the 15 items in The
Ebook Business Model Scorebook used to create library
licensing agreements or contracts.
In stead of selling an
ebook (usage
license) it should really be some kind of rent
agreement (like when you rent a library - book) if the publishers do not want to transfer any rights / ownership to the buyers.
Indeed, many common social practices — sharing books among friends, inheriting books from one's parents or grandparents — don't apply to
ebooks in meaningful ways, unless the
license agreement makes special provisions to allow it, and service providers like Apple and Amazon made the appropriate provisions.
While it is possible to construct perpetual
license agreements that make provision for digital preservation and to develop communitywide preservation mechanisms (as has been done with scholarly journals, where research libraries are usually the dominant part of the marketplace), we are far away from seeing such enabling terms and conditions in mass - market
ebook licenses.
With
ebooks and
license agreements, they can essentially opt not do business with libraries (by not allowing circulation as a permitted activity under the
license offered) or charge libraries at differential (much higher) rates, as well as manipulating availability (for example, no bestsellers in the library till a year after consumer release).
The company has taken down close to 5,000
ebooks owned by the IPG because of a failure to reach a new
licensing agreement.
Unfortunately for libraries, that growth has led many of the largest publishing houses to take a very guarded approach with the field — offering libraries
ebook titles at a significant markup,
licensing titles only with restrictive terms or embargo periods, or simply refusing to enter into
ebook agreements with libraries at all.
These
agreements dictate the basic terms of access, such as the HarperCollins limit of 26 loans per
ebook license.
Ebooks are praised for their convenience, but their use in libraries has actually been more restricted than print books due to
licensing agreements.
Therefore, it is imperative that librarians carefully read the
license agreement to determine if
ebook content can be used when access fees are withheld.
First, for purchasing and accessing
ebook content, vendors require
license agreements.
With these goals in mind, libraries need to find the content they desire, seek the best price possible, determine sustainable business models, analyze
license agreements, and evaluate vendors to effectively purchase
ebooks.
Ah, and here's where
eBooks and physical books diverge, and is the source of 99 % of my frustration with the format (also from the
License Agreement):