From: Sandy Thatcher <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:15:26 -0600

Just curious about the mechanics of ILL with e-books. I take it that
the lending library does not actually divest itself of the e-book in
its collection during the term of the "loan" but instead just sends a
PDF as an extra copy of the book. What control is in place to ensure
that this PDF is then not further distributed at the receiving end by
whoever "borrowed" it?  I suspect that publishers, including
university presses, are nervous about ILL for e-books because of the
possibility for superdistribution of the e-book to unauthorized users.
And what penalty is there for a library if such superdistribution
takes place? Is it just "oops, sorry!"? What guarantee does the
lending library have that the borrowing library just doesn't keep the
borrowed e-book in its own collection permanently? Is there some
library code of ethics that would consider this a no-no?

Sandy Thatcher


> From: "Sowards, Steve" <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:00:43 +0000
>
> Thanks for putting this defect front and center. I have had to say
> 'no' to multiple otherwise interesting e-book offers in the last two
> years, over this same issue: publisher insistence that libraries waive
> our legal right to ILL. This is especially galling when it comes to
> university presses: one would have hoped that we would be on the same
> side, namely, in favor of disseminating information. Money talks, when
> it comes to publishers: if libraries refuse these offers (and state
> plainly why they are doing so), publishers will hear the message.
>
> Steven Sowards
> Associate Director for Collections
> Michigan State University Libraries
> 366 W. Circle Drive
> East Lansing MI 48824