Penguin Random House Unifies E-book Terms for Libraries

[AnemicOak]

Penguin Random House Unifies E-book Terms for Libraries

Ever since the merger between Random House and Penguin was announced, librarians have been left to wonder which terms of sale for library e-books would ultimately win out: Penguin’s cheaper, but limited licensing terms? Or Random House’s more expensive, but perpetual access terms? Now, we know: it will be the Random House terms.

Penguin Random House executives announced today that all Penguin e-books purchased by libraries after January 1, 2016, will be licensed on the perpetual access model now used by Random House.

Going forward, all Penguin Random House e-books will be sold under the same perpetual access license terms—which means no cap on the number of loans—although, with higher prices ranging from just under $20 per title to a newly set maximum of $65. The $65 cap, however, is a reduction from the current Random House cap in the U.S. of $85 per title ($95 in Canada).

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...libraries.html



Also at Library Journal
Penguin Random House Announces New Ebook Terms of Sale for Libraries

Although digital files, including ebooks, are not protected by first sale rights that apply to physical media, such as print books, CDs, or DVDs, Random House for years has consistently described this library licensing model as an “ownership” model, notably supporting a library’s right to transfer any ebook titles purchased from the company between different lending platforms maintained by approved vendors. The publisher continued to maintain this stance in its press announcement, in which it also reiterated the company’s logic for selling libraries ebooks at a significant markup over retail:
“The key determinant with Penguin Random House library e-pricing is the opportunity for the full and permanent ownership of our titles purchased for their collections, which can evolve into a potentially unlimited number of library patrons borrowing that ebook in perpetuity. Print books, which suffer wear and tear from repeated lending, need to be replaced through repurchase. Ebooks do not.”

“We place a higher value on our author’s content in granting perpetual access for institutional lending,” Dye said. “Penguin Random House’s new pricing model is competitive with other publishers, and we additionally are granting full ownership for each title purchased. Also, let’s again note that we have lowered our top-pricing considerably effective next month.”

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/12...for-libraries/

[library addict]

Yay! My library had really cut back on buying Penguin/Jove/Berkley books in digital when they went to the "only x-number of loans" model.

Now if only to get the other publishers back on board with the unlimited plan.

[ottdmk]

This is good news. The price gouging is still abhorrent, but at least the libraries will get to "keep" the books bought in perpetuity.