I think equitable access is very important; that’s part of why the text-to-speech issue is such an important one to me.

However, the reason I see this as a negotiating action (which does not inherently make it insincere) is that it was done in public, during the negotiation. If it was simply a matter of expressing a genuine concern to the publishers, it could have been done privately to them…rather than in an open letter.

E-books are already making the changes you suggest, with public domain books being widely available for free. We’re not talking about classics here, though…we are talking about current books, which may be as valuable, but which are currently commercial in nature.

If making all of the books available to the public for free is a matter of justice, then, as you suggest, a legal solution might be the answer. Publishing could become a publicly supported enterprise, paid for by taxes.

Otherwise, I think it will be difficult to compel publishers to license e-books to libraries. They could be encouraged to do so with tax incentives (as they are with donating paperbooks, which they have done in large numbers).

I still think that the possible solution is a needs-testing system. That would provide equal access to those who are economically disadvantaged.

I appreciate your passion on this! I do think the open letter was a negotiating tactic, but that doesn’t make it a negotiating ploy.

This is a big deal. Equitable access to information is not just an issue of business, but also a matter of justice. Given the chance e-books may be just as powerful a force for change and equality as print books were when Gutenberg invented his press. This is not a negotiation between libraries and publishers. It is a negotiation between the public those libraries and librarians represent and the publishers.

I don’t know enough about their business models or about how electronic publishing has harmed the big publishers (if at all). And like you, I really do want the publishers to succeed. The service they provide in bringing high quality books to market, elevating the really exceptional, and providing expert editing so that they can be exceptional is truly a valuable commodity.

While I am not entirely sure how much of an outcry or influence the public will put on publishers to reach a fair agreement with libraries, I would be very surprised that in the absence of such an agreement that legislation would be passed that would answer the questions for them.

I hope that isn’t the case. Just as I wished that legal action would not be required to stop the collusion on prices that I believe they are guilty of, I hope that that they will recognize the public trust that they hold and will use that trust wisely.

The next few months will surely be interesting. I will be watching them with you!