Public Libraries: ALA Releases “E-Book Business Model Scorecard”

From the American Library Association Digital Content Working Group:

The report, which was created by the ALA Digital Content & Libraries Working Group (DCWG), can be used by librarians to weigh ebook contract variables most important to their library. The report assesses 15 ebook contract variables of importance to libraries, ranging from ebook title inclusion, to ebook pricing, to immediate patron access. These variables include important ebook lending characteristics, such as ebook revenue streams for publishers and ebook accessibility for people with disabilities.
“We developed the ‘Scorecard’ to ensure that librarians have the information they need to better negotiate ebook licensing agreements with publishers,” said Erika Linke, co-chair of the DCWG’s business models subgroup. “While no single business model will offer the best terms for all libraries, this report details lending terms that libraries can use to craft model contracts that work for their library systems.”
The report is a follow up to the 2012 ALA report “Ebook Business Models for Public Libraries,” a report that describes general features and attributes of the current ebook environment and outlines constraints and restrictions of current business models.

Direct to Full Text: Business Model Scorecard (8 pages; PDF)

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