In the News

Links to the latest news, from around the world, shaping the future of libraries in the digital age.
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Library Futures Files Joint Amicus Brief in Sony v. Cox

As our joint brief notes, internet access is essential to participation in economic, cultural, and social activity.

Laura Crossett
Library Futures

E-Books Project Gaining Traction

We’re proud to report e-book legislation is gaining traction, such as in Massachusetts and Tennessee.

Michelle Reed
Library Futures
2024
2023
2022
2021
The Week in Libraries: August 2, 2024
Publishers Weekly | August 2, 2024New York
To preserve their work — and drafts of history — journalists take archiving into their own hands
NiemanLab | July 31, 2024Massachusetts
Library Futures Releases Copyright & Technology Scribblings: "This is Cats"
Library Futures | July 10, 2024New York
AI’s Most Ambitious Music Generators Accused of ‘Massive’ Infringement In New Lawsuit
Rolling Stone | June 24, 2024New York
Introducing Principles on Library Ownership of Digital Books
Library Futures | June 12, 2024New York
Editors at Philosophy & Public Affairs Resign; Will Launch New OA Journal
Daily Nous | May 22, 2024South Carolina
Research Study on E-Book Publishing: a New Project from Ithaka S+R
Ithaka S+R | May 21, 2024New York
The mystery of the targeted ad and the library patron
The Register | May 18, 2024London
Digital reading soars in Seattle, creating problems for local libraries
KUOW | April 23, 2024Washington
Meet the Teenager Challenging Iowa’s Anti-LGBTQ Legislation
Truthout | April 19, 2024California
The People’s Joker’ and the Perils of Playing With a Studio’s Copyright
The New York Times | April 1, 2024New York
Vermont Poised to Curtail Library Book Bans, Bad Ebook Contracts, and Protect Teen Library Records
Book Riot | March 27, 2024New York
The film fans who refuse to surrender to streaming: ‘One day you’ll barter bread for our DVDs’
The Guardian | March 27, 2024United States
Local libraries struggle to afford soaring demand for eBooks and audiobooks
KWQC | March 20, 2024Illinois
Publishers’ reply brief in Hachette v. Internet Archive: First Impressions
Kyle K. Courtney | March 15, 2024Massachusetts
Central Pennsylvania libraries grapple with the rising cost of eBooks
FOX 43 News | March 12, 2024Pennsylvania
Libraries struggle to afford the demand for e-books and seek new state laws in fight with publishers
AP News | March 12, 2024New York
E-Books Can Subvert Book Bans, But Corporate Profit-Seeking Stands in the Way
TruthOut | March 10, 2024California
CT librarians push for bill to expand ebook and audiobook access
The Charger Bulletin | March 4, 2024Connecticut
Fair Use Week 2024: Day One With Guest Expert Kenneth D. Crews
Fair Use Week | February 25, 2024Massachusetts
Supreme Court to decide if states can control fate of social media
Washington Post | February 25, 2023Washington, D.C.
Memory Machines
The Dial | February 6, 2024Ireland
Libraries clash with publishers over restrictive ebook rights
Ireland Independent | February 24, 2024Ireland
A Book Is a Book Is a Book—Except When It’s an e-Book
The Nation | August 30, 2023New York
Are Libraries the Future of Media?
Popula | August 7, 2023New York
The eBook Study Group: A New Way to Fight for Libraries
Information Today | July 11, 2023New Jersey
The World's Digital Memory Bank is at Risk
The New York Times | June 21, 2023New York
LexisNexis Is Selling Your Personal Data to ICE So It Can Try to Predict Crimes
The Intercept | June 20, 2023Texas
Behind E-Books, Libraries Find Restrictions and High Costs
Government Technology | June 15, 2023California
Saskatoon Public Library to shut down video game lending on Nov. 1
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation | March 15, 2023Saskatoon, Canada
Publishers are suing the Internet Archive over digital book lending
The Washington Post | July 25, 2022Washington, D.C.
You Can't Buy These Books
The Nation | July 18, 2022New York
Big Publishers Are Putting The Internet Archive On Trial
VICE | July 14, 2022New York
Enjoy Digital Ownership And Public Libraries While You Still Can
TechDirt | June 29, 2022California
Library Futures Releases Policy Statement and Draft eBook Legislative Language: Mitigating the Library eBook Conundrum Through Legislative Action in the States
Info Docket | July 7, 2022Washington, D.C.
Not Fit For Purpose: Libraries Explain How Copyright Failed Libraries During The Pandemic
TechDirt | June 1, 2022California
A Position Statement from Knowledge Rights 21 on eBooks and eLending
Knowledge Rights 21 | May 17, 2022Netherlands
What Does My Library Need to Know about Ebook Laws?
American Libraries | May 17, 2022Illinois
Publishing Giants Are Fighting Libraries on E-Books
Sludge | May 17, 2022London
Copyright Office Issues Final Rule for Small Claims Procedures for Library and Archives Opt-Outs and Class Actions
Copyright.gov | March 9, 2022Washington, D.C.
Maryland Library Association Releases a Statement
ReadersFirst | March 2, 2022United States
ALA backs state Attorney General’s defense of Maryland law ensuring fair e-book access for libraries
American Library Association | February 7, 2022Illinois
Maryland Defends Its Library E-book Law, Seeks Dismissal of AAP Lawsuit
Publishers Weekly | January 17, 2022New York
Libraries, Publishers Battle Over Terms for E-Books’ Use (1)
Bloomberg Law | January 18, 2022New York
Libraries demand a new deal on ebooks
Boston Globe | December 31, 2021Massachusetts
The Top Ten Library Stories of 2021
Publishers' Weekly | December 10, 2021New York
Libraries enlist states in fight over ebook rules
AXIOS | December 21, 2021Virginia
#ebooksos crisis: price gouging publishers
Waled Culture | December 10, 2021Europe
After COVID boom, ebook aggregators face licensing questions from Congress
The Verge | November 18, 2021New York
Guest Post — The Library Technology Market’s Failure to Support Controlled Digital Lending
The Scholarly Kitchen | October 25, 2021New Jersey
Wyden, Eshoo Press Big Five Publishers on Costly, Overly Restrictive E-Book Contracts with Libraries
Senate Committee on Finance | September 23, 2021Washington, D.C.
The Surprisingly Big Business of Library E-books
The New Yorker | September 2, 2021New York
Sell This Book!
The Nation | August 3, 2021New York
Controlled digital lending – is it ‘piracy’?
Newsroom | July 23, 2021New Zealand
AAP Vows to Protect Copyright from All Challengers
Publishers Weekly | June 3, 2021New York
Publishers Are Using E-books to Extort Schools and Libraries
The Daily Beast | April 18, 2021New York
Want to borrow that e-book from the library? Sorry, Amazon won’t let you.
The Washington Post | March 10, 2021Washington, D.C.
New Nonprofit to Advocate for Digital Content in Libraries
Publishers Weekly | January 27, 2021New York

Research and advocacy for the future of libraries.

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