In an unprecedented move, senior information professionals working in UK National Health Service (NHS) have issued a statement supporting our call for action on ebooks. It reads,

Access to up-to-date information is critical for supporting day-to-day decision making in health and care. To deliver high quality care and support to patients, service users, carers and families, health and care staff need access to current and robust knowledge.   

The need for e-books has become ever more evident through the coronavirus pandemic. Yet too often, e-books are unaffordable for health and care library services, inappropriately priced and unhelpfully bundled.  Investment in e-books often delivers poor value for taxpayer funding. 

The full statement can be read here https://library.hee.nhs.uk/resources/content-and-usage/ebooks/ebook-call-for-action

We welcome this call. One of the most immoral aspects about the ebook crisis is the exploitation of public funding by businesses putting profit before the health and wellbeing of society. It is a matter that needs urgent attention.

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