What’s going on? Beginning Nov. 1, Macmillan Publishers will limit libraries to a single purchased copy of a new ebook title per library system. This embargo is being imposed for an eight week period, at which point libraries can purchase additional copies.
Your ability to access these new Macmillan ebook titles for free from Kitsap Regional Library will be impacted; hold times will most likely increase and will not be consistent with your experience with the rest of our collection. We apologize for this impact to service and make a commitment to you, our patrons, that we will do our very best to adjust and limit the negative impact it will have on you.
Why is this happening? In a July 25 memo to authors, illustrators and agents, Macmillan Publishers stated that they believe library lending has had a negative impact on sales. After testing an embargo period with one of their publishers, Macmillan decided to apply this new process to all ebooks published by imprints that fall under the Macmillan Publishing corporation.
In fulfillment of its role to offer equal and open access to information, ebooks have played a critical role in the library’s ability to serve all communities, especially patrons with visual and other disabilities. Because of this, the American Library Association has launched the campaign #eBooksForAll, urging Macmillan to reconsider. For more information, visit ebooksforall.org.
How does this impact your service? In 2018, we purchased 572 unique titles from Macmillan Publishers, and in 2019, Macmillan titles have made up approximately 11% of our ebook collection.
Upon a titles release, the Library will be allowed to purchase one copy to serve our nine locations. After an eight week embargo period, the publisher will allow the library to purchase additional ebook copies.
For Macmillan titles that have been selected for our collection, the Library will purchase one copy during the embargo period. At the end of the eight week period, the Library will access the demand for each title and purchase additional copies as needed. Patrons should be advised that we anticipate this will create longer hold times for these titles.
What about print copies and audiobooks? Currently, print materials, audiobooks and downloadable audiobooks published by Mcmillan are unaffected by this change.
How will I know if an ebook I am interested in checking out is part of the embargo? As you search through our collection on the Overdrive platform, you will notice that titles in the ebook collection included in the embargo will have a statement indicating this. This notice will not appear if you are looking for titles in the library catalog. Below, is a list of publishers and imprints that are part of Macmillan Publishers and will be impacted.
Macmillan Publishers and Imprints All Points Books Bedford/St. Martin's Bloomsburg USA Castle Point Books Celdon Books Drawn and Quarterly Entangled Publishing Farrar, Straus & Giroux Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Younger Readers Feiwel & Friends First Second Flatiron Books FSG Originals Graywolf Press Griffin, Minotaur Guinness World Records Hayden-McNeil Henry Holt Henry Holt Books for Young Readers Hill and Wang Holt Paperbacks Imprint Kingfisher Let’s Go Macmillan Audio N/A Macmillan Collector’s Library Macmillan Learning Media Lab Books Metropolitan Books Nature North Point Press Odd Dot Page Street Publishing Co. Papercutz Picador Priddy Books Roaring Brook Press Sarah Crichton Books Scientific American Scientific American/Farrar, Straus & Giroux Square Fish St. Martin’s Press St. Martin’s Press Paperbacks Starscape The College Board Thomas Dunne Books Times Books Tor Children’s Tor for Teens Tor/Forge Truman Talley Books W. H. Freeman Worth Publishers