{"id":2026,"date":"2022-04-13T09:01:13","date_gmt":"2022-04-13T13:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/?p=2026"},"modified":"2022-04-13T10:58:23","modified_gmt":"2022-04-13T14:58:23","slug":"uconn-library-backs-legislation-for-equitable-access-to-ebooks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/uconn-library-backs-legislation-for-equitable-access-to-ebooks\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn Library Backs Legislation for Equitable Access to Ebooks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The UConn Library applauds a newly introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cga.ct.gov\/asp\/cgabillstatus\/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&amp;bill_num=SB00131&amp;which_year=2022\">Connecticut General Assembly bill<\/a> \u201cto require publishers of electronic books to license such books to public libraries on reasonable terms.\u201d The bill also covers school and academic libraries, allowing the UConn Library to acquire ebooks needed to meet the research and learning needs of our faculty, students, and staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/files\/shutterstock_laptop_as_ebook_reader_source_of_knowledge.jpg\" alt=\"image of laptop emerging from a book. shutterstock photo. \" class=\"wp-image-2028\" width=\"431\" height=\"243\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/files\/shutterstock_laptop_as_ebook_reader_source_of_knowledge.jpg 620w, https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/files\/shutterstock_laptop_as_ebook_reader_source_of_knowledge-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/files\/shutterstock_laptop_as_ebook_reader_source_of_knowledge-500x282.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 431px) 100vw, 431px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Demand has soared for library ebooks in recent years. Ebooks are a lifeline to students and scholars who are learning remotely, have a print disability, lack the ability to visit libraries in person, or appreciate the convenience of having the world of information just a click away. Regrettably, many publishers make it difficult for libraries to provide equitable access to ebooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Libraries pay up to six times what individual readers pay for an ebook. Already on tight budgets, libraries rely on taxpayer and tuition dollars to pay these exorbitant prices.<\/li><li>Publishers refuse to sell ebooks to libraries if they think the titles will be widely read or assigned to classes. As a result, faculty and students cannot access ebooks they need.<\/li><li>Publishers restrict what libraries can do with ebooks they purchase. For example, many publishers prohibit libraries from sharing ebooks through interlibrary loan.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In response, Connecticut has introduced a fair trade and consumer protection bill (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cga.ct.gov\/asp\/cgabillstatus\/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&amp;bill_num=SB00131&amp;which_year=2022\">S. B. 131<\/a>) requiring publishers to sell ebooks to libraries on reasonable terms. The bill requires \u201cpurchase or licensing specifications that consider a publisher\u2019s business model as well as a library&#8217;s need for the efficient use of funds in providing library services.\u201d Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, and Tennessee have introduced or passed similar laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In March 2022, S. B. 131 passed the Connecticut State Senate\u2019s Planning and Development Committee with unanimous bipartisan support (a 26-0 vote). A full Senate vote is expected before the legislation moves on to the House and then to the governor\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The UConn Library hails this bipartisan legislation to achieve equitable and affordable library ebook access for the faculty, students, and people of Connecticut. We encourage library supporters to <a href=\"https:\/\/cga.ct.gov\/asp\/menu\/slist.asp\">contact their state senators<\/a> and ask them to vote yes on S. B. 131.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-background has-light-gray-background-color\">Post written by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lib.uconn.edu\/about\/directory\/michael-rodriguez\/\">Michael Rodriguez<\/a>, Collections Strategist<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The UConn Library applauds a newly introduced Connecticut General Assembly bill \u201cto require publishers of electronic books to license such books to public libraries on reasonable terms.\u201d The bill also covers school and academic libraries, allowing the UConn Library to &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/uconn-library-backs-legislation-for-equitable-access-to-ebooks\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9NLr1-wG","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2026"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2026"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2026\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2031,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2026\/revisions\/2031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}