Health warning : Please make sure you are seated before reading this post

As we reach over 1300 signatures, Librarians have taken to Twitter using the hashtag #ebooksos to share examples of the extraordinary situation we are facing.

This morning an incredulous UK based HE Librarian shared this quote she had been given.

and no, you are not misreading it! Another Librarian shared this quote. The hardcopy book is £37.99

This is not just a UK issue, it is a global issue. Look at the difference in pricing here for the same product from different providers.
Then we have inexplicable leaps in prices to deal with. See this example

Of course, as our letter states, only around 10% of academic books are available in eformat to university libraries so, while you may see them for sale to individuals in eformat, libraries are not given access to purchase them. See here.

Then you get ebooks only licenced in certain countries

And that is not all. Nope! Some publishers will not make their key text books available in eformat at all.

There are many more examples on the #ebooksos hashtag. Librarians have been trying to navigate this situation all summer. The frustration evidenced on the hashtag speaks for itself.