How tell if an author's e-books should be available?

[GracieAllen]

I'm trying to figure out if there's some system or process for publishers and authors as far as where the books are made available..... (yeah, I know, it's the question doesn't make sense to me either)

A long time ago, a couple years at least (which is about a century in digital terms) there was some big kerfuffle about some <pick your own adjective> publishers refusing to make their ebooks available to libraries. Is this STILL going on?

For example, Brett Battles has a number of books. Over time I've read all but three as epub books. Some I found in the digital catalog of one of the libraries I use. Some I've bought from Amazon and converted to epub so they could be read.
His two newest Quinn books and the newest Rewinder book aren't available in ANY library - they don't even show up in Overdrive for me. Nor do they exist in the Cloud Library.

Was there a change in publisher? In publisher policy? Some other bizarre thing in the industry? I THINK the last time I checked I could only find them at Amazon (possibly B&N)... Is there a simple way to tell if an author has refused to put his/her ebooks in libraries, or is published by a company that refuses?

[Deskisamess]

I’ve come across many books I’d like to read that aren’t available in ebook form at my public library. I don’t know exactly how it works, but the library in question has to pay for the ability to offer the book. Just because a book is released in ebook form doesn’t mean it will be available to borrow from your library.

I’m sure someone from Mobile Read will have a more complete explanation.

As an example...Emma Miller’s latest Amish Read is still not available at my local library, even though the previous books in the series are.

[mitford13]

Looks like a lot of his books, including Rewinder, are in KU which means he has to be exclusive to Amazon for at least 90 days (or longer depending on how long he chooses to stay in.) So that decision on availability is his. Other than that, I don't know of a simple way to tell re libraries. Someone here recently pointed out that Amazon chooses not to make their imprints available digitally for libraries, so that's another out. Seems like the quickest way is to ask the author via social media/email.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by GracieAllen

A long time ago, a couple years at least (which is about a century in digital terms) there was some big kerfuffle about some <pick your own adjective> publishers refusing to make their ebooks available to libraries. Is this STILL going on?

All of the large publishers in the US make their books available to libraries now, not sure about elsewhere. Some smaller pubs might not, for sure at this time Amazon Publishing and their associated imprints do not. Recently it has also become easier for self-published authors to get their eBooks into the hands of libraries.

For example, Brett Battles has a number of books. Over time I've read all but three as epub books. Some I found in the digital catalog of one of the libraries I use. Some I've bought from Amazon and converted to epub so they could be read.
His two newest Quinn books and the newest Rewinder book aren't available in ANY library - they don't even show up in Overdrive for me. Nor do they exist in the Cloud Library.

Was there a change in publisher? In publisher policy? Some other bizarre thing in the industry? I THINK the last time I checked I could only find them at Amazon (possibly B&N)... Is there a simple way to tell if an author has refused to put his/her ebooks in libraries, or is published by a company that refuses?

Looking at all of the most recent titles from this author it appears he is self publishing them and has chosen to put the books into Kindle Unlimited through KDP select which runs at least 90 days and when in that the eBooks must be exclusive to Amazon. The author my just be experimenting with KU or it may be that he's found the revenue from KU borrows is greater than having his books available at Kobo, B&N, etc. although given that a lot of his books are available in KU I'm guessing it's probably not an experiment. At least some of his books can be borrowed through Prime Reading if you're a Prime member.


As mitford13 says, contacting the author directly (he's got email and various social media channels listed on his website) is probably the easiest way to find out if other outlets besides Amazon are likely to occur.

[GracieAllen]

Thanks. I'll try sending an email...

Since as near as I can tell, all three of the titles have been out since 2015 or earlier, it doesn't sound like a 90 day experiment.

Though I've purchased books on Amazon, and his in particular in the past, if he HAS made a decision to not make his current books available, I'll just set him inactive in Calibre (it's what I do when the authors die) and not bother looking for his stuff any more.

There are too many authors out there who write interesting books to waste time on those that aren't interested in reaching library readers.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by GracieAllen

Thanks. I'll try sending an email...

Since as near as I can tell, all three of the titles have been out since 2015 or earlier, it doesn't sound like a 90 day experiment.

Though I've purchased books on Amazon, and his in particular in the past, if he HAS made a decision to not make his current books available, I'll just set him inactive in Calibre (it's what I do when the authors die) and not bother looking for his stuff any more.

There are too many authors out there who write interesting books to waste time on those that aren't interested in reaching library readers.

If they are in KU, they are exclusive to Amazon.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

If they are in KU, they are exclusive to Amazon.

I'm guessing AnemicOak's reply is more accurate; I'm seeing books that are in Kindle Unlimited and also available at libraries and other stores.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

If they are in KU, they are exclusive to Amazon.

Nonsense. The “Harry Potter” books are on KU, for example. Are you seriously suggesting that they’re exclusive to Amazon?

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

All of the large publishers in the US make their books available to libraries now, not sure about elsewhere. Some smaller pubs might not, for sure at this time Amazon Publishing and their associated imprints do not. Recently it has also become easier for self-published authors to get their eBooks into the hands of libraries.

I could be mis-remembering, but I thought one of them (maybe Random House) only makes backlist (older than 6 months) available at libraries.

So they get there eventually, but not when they're immediately released.

I definitely could be wrong - or it could have been true years ago, but not today. It's just a dim bell of a memory.

[thomkat27]

I believe it can depend on the type of library as well, certain publishers won't make their e-content available to academic libraries or those who are part of a consortium.

[cromag]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Nonsense. The “Harry Potter” books are on KU, for example. Are you seriously suggesting that they’re exclusive to Amazon?

I suspect that some of the more popular/profitable authors can negotiate better deals.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Nonsense. The “Harry Potter” books are on KU, for example. Are you seriously suggesting that they’re exclusive to Amazon?

If they are self-published then in 99% of the cases, the ebook (not paper) is exclusively Amazon. It is in the terms of service that if you sign up for Kindle Select, you get certain perks but the ebook cannot be published elsewhere. (Yes, Amazon gets very picky about that.)
Now if they have a publisher, that is a different cup of tea with different contracts.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I could be mis-remembering, but I thought one of them (maybe Random House) only makes backlist (older than 6 months) available at libraries.

So they get there eventually, but not when they're immediately released.

I definitely could be wrong - or it could have been true years ago, but not today. It's just a dim bell of a memory.

The Big 5 all make their entire catalog available to the best of my knowledge. Penguin Random House started including frontlist titles in January of 2016 (this was when Penguin and Random House consolidated their previously separate library policies) and the other initial holdouts on that front, Macmillan started including frontlist titles 29 July 2014 and Hachette on 8 May 2013.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Nonsense. The “Harry Potter” books are on KU, for example. Are you seriously suggesting that they’re exclusive to Amazon?

Right, KU books from medium to large publishers (& possibly some small pubs) are subject to different terms than self-pubbed (KDP/KDP Select) books which get hit with the exclusivity requirements.

[haertig]

I have many books that I can't find in my library. Actually libraries, as I joined several because each has a different selections of eBooks. There seems to be a core set of eBooks that almost every library has, and others that you can only find in some. I guess the libraries choose what to purchase as eBooks based on whatever criteria they want (projected popularity, author bias, cost, ... who knows?)

Then there are eBooks that I can't seem to find in ANY library. Could be the author/publisher doesn't allow it, or it's some special Amazon restricted deal, or it could just as well be that the library decided not to buy those eBooks. Now way to tell that I can discern. For those that aren't in any libraries, I have to go buy them. Most I can buy, but some I can't (except maybe as a used copy somewhere). I assume this latter case might be because the specific book is now out of print, and was never an eBook in the first place.