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How to fix ebooks markets

by Alison Taylor on 2022-10-19T16:36:00+01:00 | 0 Comments

#EbookSOS ebooks are unaffordable for university libraries. We call for urgent market regulation to ensure students can learn

 

Why do ebooks markets matter?

Register for the “How do we fix E-book markets” webinar taking place on Monday 21 November at 1pm. The webinar will discuss the eBook crisis that libraries, educators and authors face with international thought leaders in the sector. 

The #eBooksSOS campaign, launched in 2020 with the claim that “Publishing practices are making ebooks unaffordable, unsustainable and inaccessible to libraries”. Our Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive was the first VC to sign their open letter calling for urgent regulation of the market. Sadly, the UK parliamentary Education Select Committee declined to investigate, and the challenges continue. Late this summer, Wiley removed access to over 1300 of their e-books (without notifying their authors) just as teaching started, a move condemned internationally by library associations, student unions and authors as it left students without access to key learning resources and academics and libraries scrabbling to find alternatives. Wiley subsequently backtracked and reinstated access, but only for 9 months. You can read all about this and more on the #ebooksSOS webpages and register your support for fairer marketing practices.
 
If you are an author, or prospective author and want your books to be easily available to anyone who wants to read them, #ebookSOS have guidance on questions you can put to publishers and contract clauses to ask for.

If you have other questions or would like to arrange a briefing, please contact Emily Wild in Library Services. 
 

Judith Keene, University Librarian


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