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From the Chicago Tribune:

The Soon to be Famous Illinois Author project will choose a self-published Illinois author's work for a year of book talks, author events and other promotions in Illinois public libraries.

In addition to bringing acclaim to one writer laboring in obscurity, librarians hope to make the country's top publishers take notice of their power to be literary tastemakers by connecting books with readers. It's part of an effort to nudge top publishers to change prices and policies on selling e-books to libraries, practices that librarians say limit the ability to borrow.

"The real challenge is for librarians to help the reader understand why publishers are charging so much more for e-books," said Maureen Sullivan, past president of the American Library Association. "They are in a mode where they're exploring and experimenting with access."

The Hinsdale Public Library, which has an average monthly circulation of 500 to 600 e-books and downloadable audio books, features a chart on its website explaining to patrons why they may not be able to download the e-books they want.

Suburban librarians say e-book traffic is doubling, sometimes tripling, from year to year.