Knowledge Rights 21, along with Library Futures and Authors Alliance, has launched an ebook pledge, calling on publishers to sign up to it and adopt the principles set out by it. The principles are as follows, To make all eBooks available to libraries to preserve and to lend to the public directly or via inter-library loan, … Continue reading #EbookSOS welcomes launch of Library eBook Pledge
IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2024, Dubai
As a campaign fighting for the issues of knowledge equity and equality of access to information, #ebookSOS is as concerned as many others in the sector about the awarding of the 2024 World Library and Information Congress to Dubai. With a long track record of human rights abuses and legal discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals, women, … Continue reading IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2024, Dubai
UK students launch ebook petition.
Students at the University of Worcester (UK) have launched an #ebooksos petition calling for the fair pricing of ebooks. The students ask that people support their efforts to 'ensure all students have access to the essential digital resources required for their studies and success', before stating, We are particularly concerned about those from disadvantaged or … Continue reading UK students launch ebook petition.
Publishing industry announces record profits as European library associations call for action on ebooks
The Publishers Association has reported another year of record breaking profits for the publishing industry in 2022, in spite of the cost of living crisis. Source: Publishers Association Meanwhile, frustrated by policymakers' and competition authorities' failure to address the ongoing library ebook crisis, library associations from across Europe signed a letter requesting parallel action on … Continue reading Publishing industry announces record profits as European library associations call for action on ebooks
Wiley misfires with an unprecedented PR crisis-management move
Authors rarely know what happens with their works once they have been published so when Wiley recently withdrew over 1300 ebook titles from library collections we and Authors Alliance decided to tell them. Wiley was already under pressure to rethink their practices, thanks to the Library Association of Ireland and others securing coverage in the … Continue reading Wiley misfires with an unprecedented PR crisis-management move
Wiley ebook withdrawals denounced by authors
Authors of the books recently withdrawn from university libraries by their publisher Wiley, are putting their names to a letter co-written by Authors Alliance and #ebookSOS, calling on Wiley to change their practices. The text of the letter can be read here. We’re still working on reaching out to all of the individual authors of … Continue reading Wiley ebook withdrawals denounced by authors
Wiley backtracks – but only for nine months…
Wiley released a statement yesterday announced they would be returning the withdrawn 1,379 ebooks to the ProQuest Academic Complete package in response to librarian, author, student and organisational pressure - but only until June 2023. Whilst #ebookSOS welcomes this news and counts it as a success for our collective action and sustained pressure (with particular … Continue reading Wiley backtracks – but only for nine months…
#ebookSOS makes it into print!
Today sees the publication of Glyn Moody's 'Walled Culture', an important book charting the history of digital copyright, what it means for consumers to no longer own the content they 'purchase', and the social, economic and technological implications of corporate ownership of knowledge and culture. Yohanna, Caroline and Rachel get a mention, as does the … Continue reading #ebookSOS makes it into print!
Wiley: student unions condemn publisher’s actions and editor resigns in protest
In the wake of the Irish library associations' statement on the outrageous behaviour of Wiley (and ProQuest, who apparently sat on the news of the withdrawals for two years before informing libraries), the news has made the Irish press and galvanised student unions. The issue has been reported in the Irish Examiner twice, once on … Continue reading Wiley: student unions condemn publisher’s actions and editor resigns in protest
Irish library associations condemn publisher Wiley’s removal of hundreds of titles from ebook collections – can we expect a similar position from UK sector bodies?
The #ebookSOS campaign applauds and echoes today's joint statement from the Library Association of Ireland, the Consortium of National and University Libraries, the Irish Universities' Association Librarians' Group and the Technological Higher Education Association Librarians' Group, condemning the recent move by Wiley to remove over 1000 key titles from key subscription packages. For further background … Continue reading Irish library associations condemn publisher Wiley’s removal of hundreds of titles from ebook collections – can we expect a similar position from UK sector bodies?