Library People, Strap in For a Fight With the Author's Guild

As regular readers of the blog know, I have been working on a bill going through the IL legislature to stop the publishers and their predatory pricing of eBooks and eAudio for libraries. You can read here about when I went to Springfield to testify on the topic at the State House, including my written testimony.   

The Author's Guild filed with the committee we were testifying for stating they were against our bill to control prices. 

We passed 99-0 in the IL State House and since then, they have turned up the heat and have been actively releasing "data" and lobbying against our bill.

Last week I had this post about larger library groups coming together to fight back against the Author's Guild slander. Go here to read that.

Now they are upping their fight against us by trying to make it look like libraries are part of the reason why authors are not making money.

Here is the news story on the "report" they commissioned. It does not explicitly say libraries are part of their problem but it does lay the gourd world for that argument. Combined with the statements they have made formally against the bills circulating throughout various statehouse (as reported here), their intentions are clear. They are trying to throw us under the bus.

They are not protecting authors here. As you can see in my written testimony, they are protecting the publishers. Authors do NOT get more money when the publishers overcharge libraries for digital books and audiobooks. Remember I am an author as well as a librarian. I understand this issue from both sides, as I wrote about here.

I posted this on Bluesky yesterday and many authors are coming to our defense. Library workers are calling out the fact that this is all th publishers fault. I cannot keep up with my responses. Here is what I said there when I posted this link:

You all-- I never thought I'd see the day, but library peeps, strap in for a fight. The Author's Guild is going after us as the reason why authors are making less money. I don't think they understand who they are dealing with:

Also, authors (of which I am one), the Author's Guild does a lot of good generally, but they are WRONG here. They are trying to turn against us. There are over 12,000 public libraries in America and they are one of the only places reliably spending money on books every single day of the year.

Don't fall for these scare tactics. The best route toward improving our income from writing books is hand in hand with the library.

There is no call to action here for today. But this post is a warning to you all. We need to be aware that the Author's Guild is building a case against us. It has been in the shadows of state houses until now. Slowly they are laying the groundwork to throw us under the bus.  Please be on guard. 

I will keep everyone posted as well. 

Libraries Fighting Back [Together] on Unfair Digital Book Pricing [story via PW]

As I discussed in this post back in March, I have been actively involved in trying to get fair eBook pricing for libraries. I was in Springfield to jet rally support for IL House Bill 5236—The Digital Library Protection Act. From the ILA page Advocacy page about HB 5236:

What is House Bill 5236?

The Digital Library Protection Act, as known as House Bill 5236, aims to prevent publishers from imposing unfair restrictions on libraries when licensing eBooks, digital audiobooks, and other electronic literary materials. It prohibits contracts that would prevent libraries from performing their usual functions, like licensing materials from other publishers, using necessary technology for lending, making preservation copies, or participating in interlibrary loan systems. 

It prevents publishers from restricting a library's ability to determine loan periods, from charging libraries more than the public for the same item, or from limiting the number of licenses a library can acquire after an item is available to the public. The bill ensures libraries can continue to virtually share content for educational purposes and share licensing terms with other libraries in the state. 

In that post, I included my written testimony which was formally filed with the committee.  

Since then, the bill passed the IL House 99-0. It is currently sitting the senate but the Association of American Publishers and the Authors Guild’s denunciation of the passage of Illinois HB 5236. It will probably not get taken up until the Fall session due to the Chicago Bears sucking all of the energy out of the state house, but we are on the right track.

This denunciation by the Authors Guild is what I am currently battling against. They are wrong to oppose this. They are not protecting authors. They are actually hurting them. I talk about it in that previous post. Authors do not get more money when these books are sold for high prices to libraries, and in fact, fewer books by mid-list authors are purchased because of the high prices. 

Our next steps here in IL are to keep the library workers updated (I helped with a webinar on that), and, through me, reach out to specific authors to get them to support us. I am going to have to work to explain why they need to go against the Authors Guild-- which I support normally too, especially as we are connected with them through he HWA-- but in this case they are wrong to side with the publishers. 

Now that IL is making headway, 5 Large Library Organizations are finally speaking out to help those of us in CT and IL who have been going at it alone. We were the test cases and it is starting to work, so now others are reading to jump in and help us fight back. 

PW had this great article that will get you up to speed on the entire issue. From the first paragraph:

On May 27, five public library organizations from the U.S. and Canada released a statement, addressing the Big Five publishers and digital platform providers, in response to e-book pricing models. The Association for Rural and Small Libraries, Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, Canadian Urban Libraries Council, Public Library Association, and Urban Libraries Council all signed on to the letter.

Please click through to read the entire article. It explains where we are on a national lever here. Things are getting serious and we are close to FULL VICTORY. Also take a look at the Joint Statement Letter (linked above as well). From that letter:

Our organizations, representing the vast majority of public libraries across the US and Canada, call on the Big Five publishers, as well as platform providers, to come to the table to work with libraries to identify and implement sustainable solutions, no matter the format.

Mutually-beneficial solutions exist. These include the importance of usage-based e-book models that guarantee our communities actually have access to the materials their libraries have paid for, and the option for libraries to purchase perpetual-use models so we can ensure the preservation of knowledge remains a cornerstone of the public library.

Public libraries protect copyright and invest millions of dollars in curating collections that increase author discovery and promote titles and reading, and our book borrowers are book buyers. We’re important partners for publishers, and have shared concerns including declining literacy rates and fighting threats to intellectual freedom.

It’s time for a new dynamic, based in collaboration and mutual respect, that can build off those shared interests. It’s time to finally address – rather than ignore – this crisis. This helps everyone – libraries, authors, patrons, publishers – thrive.

Thank you to PW's Libraries reporter, Nathalie op de Beeck, for covering this so well. Now everyone in publishing has a clearer understanding of what we are fighting for. I hope authors and smaller publishers begin to understand that the Association of American Publishers and the Authors Guild are not fighting for them like they may think they are.

Feel free to use any or all of my letter to the IL House, in tandem with the PW article and the Joint Statement Letter, to do your own advocating.

Becky Goes to Springfield [IL] to Support House Bill 5236-- The Digital Library Protection Act.

As I mentioned on Bluesky, I spent yesterday going back and forth to Springfield IL to support House Bill 5236—The Digital Library Protection Act. From the ILA page Advocacy page about HB 5236:

What is House Bill 5236?

The Digital Library Protection Act, as known as House Bill 5236, aims to prevent publishers from imposing unfair restrictions on libraries when licensing eBooks, digital audiobooks, and other electronic literary materials. It prohibits contracts that would prevent libraries from performing their usual functions, like licensing materials from other publishers, using necessary technology for lending, making preservation copies, or participating in interlibrary loan systems. 

It prevents publishers from restricting a library's ability to determine loan periods, from charging libraries more than the public for the same item, or from limiting the number of licenses a library can acquire after an item is available to the public. The bill ensures libraries can continue to virtually share content for educational purposes and share licensing terms with other libraries in the state. 

If you live in IL, please register to attend our update tomorrow about everything that happened yesterday here.

Before I get to my official statement in support of the bill, I wanted to share a very short recap on what happened yesterday.

Click here for photos.

We were appearing in a show of support for this bill to move from the Consumer Protection Committee to the floor of the IL House. We did move forward with a 6-3 vote. This results what our lobbyist said would be a huge victory (it means we got one republican to vote for us in committee).

But I need to thank all of you who filed witness slips because while the bills that went before us reported that they have 5-10 witness slips in favor we had over 2700! The committee was impressed. But I also need to share that the anti witness slips were from places like Penguin Random House, the Authors Guild, and the American Publishers Association, so we need all the support we can get, especially from you PATRONS.

They noted in the hearing that most witness slips supporting were librarians. As we move forward we need to see the public get involved.

Please go to this page to follow our progress and see how you can educate your patrons to speak out in support. 

Right now our focus is on gathering the 60 votes we need from the IL House to pass this bill to the Senate. We need those in place and secured in 8 business days from today which is 4/9. (there are some closed dates around Easter).

What we need is for you to call your IL House Reps and talk to them about voting yes here. Now after the webinar tomorrow we will have updated advocacy scripts and advice. I will let you all know about that but it will all be here on the ILA's page with all of the info as linked above.

As my colleague Robin Bradford (and IL native) noted on Bluesky yesterday, "When you spend more money, your buying power shouldn't DECREASE. Someone is getting over like a fat rat and it ain't the people. Not the authors, either!"

Which leads exactly into the witness testimony I was asked to provide as Big 5 author, librarian, and trustee. It was officially filed into the record. I am sharing it here with all of you because no matter where you live, you can use this to advocate for this issue. In IL, I will be contacting reps outside of my district to speak as an author and as a former elected official myself. (Don't get me started as to how mad I am that the Authors Guild is against this bill, a bill which hurts every author, but they are doing what PRH tells them to do here. They are not fighting for us.)

CT has passed this legislation. We are moving to the House floor and NJ is right behind us. (which for me is poetic justice, the state I live in and the state I am from are leading the pack here.) If a few dominos fall, the Publishers will be forced to give up and make the rules fair for all libraries. Don't think for a moment what happens here in IL is not going to help every single library in the country. We are doing the work for all of you and we are happy to do it. I just wish Springfield wasn't 3.5 hours away. But with teamwork and carpools we made it happen. Again, check out the pictures here.

I hope to see of you at the webinar tomorrow as well.

My official witness testimony ends this post. Please feel free to quote me or just borrow the language to use for yourselves. And a huge thank you to Robin who provided the real time numbers for purchasing my specific book.

Submitted by Becky Siegel Spratford, Librarian, Author, and recently retired 24-year, elected Public Library Trustee for La Grange Public Library (Cook County).

I would like to thank the Consumer Protection Committee for giving me, and my colleagues from across Illinois, the opportunity to speak to you today about House Bill 5236—The Digital Library Protection Act. I am speaking to you in support of this bill and its aims to prevent publishers from imposing unfair restrictions on libraries when licensing eBooks, digital audiobooks, and other electronic literary materials. 

I would like to begin by sharing my personal experience as the author of WHY I LOVE HORROR: ESSAYS ON HORROR LITERATURE which was published in September 2025 by Saga Press, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. The print version of my book retails for $18 while the physical CD of the audiobook is $34.99. Consumers can buy a digital copy of my book from Amazon for $13.99 and digital audio for $13.02, via Amazon.

However, if a library would like to purchase my book for their library collections the cost of the ebook is not only inflated to $59.99 for one use at a time, but also that purchase is only for 24 months. After that time, the book simply disappears from the library’s collection and must be re-purchased again for that same price with those same terms. The digital audio is inflated to $69.99, again for one use at a time, for only 24 months.

In my opinion, this is the definition of price gouging, and since libraries are using tax dollars to purchase books for their collection, the victims are our citizens, the very people this committee is responsible for protecting. 

I want to be clear here, because I have been asked about this before, Simon and Schuster is not crediting my author account for sales dollars above and beyond the list price of my book when they make a digital sale at those inflated prices to a library. And again, unlike my print book, which can circulate as many times as possible, the libraries who purchase the digital versions of my book, only “own” them for 24 months from the date of purchase.

As of this writing, the print, digital audio, and digital ebook of my title are checked out from my library. But in less than 24 months from today, the print will still be on the shelf while the digital book and audio will disappear. Access will be denied to those who want to read it. As a librarian, I am not sure even if I would make the choice to reorder this book digitally at those prices, especially knowing the print is there for people— and let me stress, this is my book I am talking about. 

Now, multiply this financial decision about my book by thousands because as you have heard from my colleagues today, my book is but one example of this extremely unfair and, quite frankly, unsustainable system.

However, my irritation and anger as an author and librarian is eclipsed by how unfair I know the current system is for our citizens. I worked tirelessly as an elected Library Trustee to give the citizens of La Grange, IL the most efficient and effective service for six full terms, from May 2001-April 2025. The current system puts Library Trustees between a rock and a hard place. 

On my board we were regularly briefed on how popular our digital materials were, while we were also told about the price disparity between digital and physical copies. We always wanted to use our taxpayers’ dollars efficiently and effectively. We weighed the cost versus the need. We made sure the staff had access to enough money to give our patrons the titles they wanted, in the formats they wanted. 

But even for a well-funded library like La Grange Public Library, this was not easy. We had to get creative with our budget and we even used grants to help bridge the funding gaps. Many of our fellow libraries across the state don’t have the financial resources we did, however, and their patrons (citizens who give their tax dollars for their library’s collections), are forced to go without digital access to many of the books they want to read in those formats.

As you can see, I am engaged with this issue from all sides. I care deeply about making sure readers have access to the books they want from the public library, whether I have written that book or not. I also want my book in the public library. I want readers to be able to find my book on the shelf, be that a digital shelf or a physical one. I am proud that people can find my book at their public library. But I am saddened that in order for a library to have my book, they have to pay through the nose, and even after making that choice and paying those steep prices, they don’t even have access to it after two years.

This is most unfair to the consumers. Yes, the literal consumer is the library here, but really, since we are using taxpayer dollars, the consumer is our citizens. Even worse, they have no idea that they are being price gouged. 

As an author for one of the largest publishers, I also understand that we need to make money—the publisher and myself. But in the current price structure system, I am not making any more money, the library is paying a lot more, the taxpayers are being price gouged, and only the publisher is profiting.

I am so thankful that you are hearing testimony on this important issue. I hope my testimony can help you move House Bill 5236 on to the full House.

Thank you for your time and attention.

E-Book/Audiobook Advocacy Tools via RAILS and Becky's Reminder That Our History of Bad Communication Is to Blame

My home library system, Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS), has created a set of advocacy tools that clearly explain the breadth of the pricing problem on eBook and eAudio books for libraries, and take the conversation directly to our patrons.

They have also made it all customizable for you to use for your library and have provided ALT text for all images. I am sharing their communication on the information and how to use it below. You now have no excuse to not participate in this important advocacy.

As multiple states are trying to fight the publishers and make it illegal to keep price gouging us, we need to get the word out to our patrons so that they are also discussing this with their legislatures. Remember, these are their tax dollars and most people have no idea how much we have to pay to get them their books. There are still people, regular library users, who are shocked when I tell them how much we have to pay for eBooks and eAudio books. Then they are further shocked when they find out we pay that and don't even own the books. And while we think it sounds ridiculous I need you all to understand that many people are under the impression that we buy a books once and then have access to it in every format. And that number of people is statistically relevant.

Here is the bigger problem though-- all of this misunderstanding is ON US. As I have written about before, we are terrible at communicating what we do and how nuanced, hard, and expensive it actually is.

We make excuses as to why we don't communicate better. I write about it in that post. But, as I also write in that post, all this does is hurt us more (see the librarians as groomers issue for proof).

We are hitting the tipping point on the eBook, eAudio issue. Making the legislative switch to focusing on the unfairness of the contracts the publisher make with us (over the previously struck down copyright arguments) is starting to work. But now we need constituents to reach out to their legislators without us as the middle-people. 

The RAILS advocacy tools are a way for us to CLEARLY explain to our patrons why they should be outraged at how expensive it is for us to buy their books in the formats they want-- again with their tax dollars. And thanks to RAILS, you can easily access those tools here (and below) is the landing page for the information including the link to download a canvas template which you can customize, including Alt text for all graphics.

Get this information out in your newsletters, on social media, to your friends and supporters groups. All you need is a small percentage of the people you reach with these communications to make the next step and call or email their representatives for us to move the needle forward and stop the price gouging.

Full disclosure, I spent 3 years on the RAILS Board. This means I understand how much work they have put into these. It started back when I was on the board. You can trust them and their resources. Also the fact that they did all this work and are sharing it, far and wide, with anyone who needs it, well, that is even better.

Click here or see below.

RAILS Releases New E-Book/Audiobook Advocacy Tools

RAILS is excited to launch a new set of advocacy tools for libraries to build awareness about the challenges of e-book and audiobook pricing. These documents include an advocacy flyer, sample social media graphics, and sample copy that libraries can use to make their communities aware of this growing problem.  

The original version of the flyer was shared at the 2025 ILA Legislative Meetups. This document is perfect for sharing with public library boards, community members, and legislators.  

The downloadable social media carousel graphics can be shared across all platforms. Libraries are welcome to download the Canva template to add their logo in the lower left corner. RAILS has provided alt text for these graphics. 

There is also sample copy available to accompany the social media graphics. This copy can also be used in newsletters, blogs, or press releases. We encourage libraries to utilize these messages wherever appropriate.  

Working together, libraries have the opportunity to make their voices heard on this issue. By sharing these messages with our communities, we can build a greater understanding of the need for fair access to e-books and audiobooks.  

For more information about this issue, please see the RAILS E-Resource Access Pulse page.  

Libraries As Agencies of Impact

Last night I drove an hour each way to stand with my colleagues in the Illinois Library community to support a Director and a Board who are standing strong against hate. 

This library is in my personal system-- Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) and representatives from RAILS and ILA leadership were there last night, as well as a half dozen others, plus representatives from the LGBTQ community.

We filled the room with love and support. No one on the other side was there (despite their constant harassment) and the Board President told us there have never been so many people to a Board meeting ever.

This is what happens when you show up for a library-- even if it isn't yours. None of us are part of this library, but we are all part of the library community. The Board, who were already standing strong for inclusion and respect (and after training from Robin and I had followed all the rules and had everything in writing before anything happened), were so happy to see the support. Every member of the Board publicly said so. 

Now they have literally seen the love. When the negative chirping keeps reverberating from a few, they can recall us filling out their program room to show we disagree,

We all need to do this more. And back to my specific library system, RAILS. They have done more than show up at meetings, they are trying to set an example for all IL libraries and, by posting their work online for free, the entire library community, through their report Libraries as Agencies of Impact.

You can go here to read the entire report but here is the introduction:

Message from RAILS

At RAILS, our mission statement, "We Connect Libraries," reflects our belief in the transformative power of libraries. We go beyond brick-and-mortar walls, fostering collaboration and resource-sharing to empower libraries of all types and sizes.

This guide dives deep into the quantifiable impact of Illinois libraries, equipping you with data to demonstrate their value to your stakeholders. Whether you're a librarian, a board member, or a community advocate, this information will help you showcase:

• Return on Investment: Explore data revealing the tangible benefits libraries deliver in exchange for their operational costs.
• Staffing Expertise: Understand the qualifications and dedication of library professionals, highlighting their unique contribution to communities.
• Community Reach: Discover the extensive reach of libraries, showcasing how they serve diverse populations and bridge information gaps.

This information is crucial for everyone invested in the future of Let's turn the page and discover the undeniable value of Illinois libraries.

Monica Harris, Executive Director

At this link you can read the entire report in a text only version or go here to see a presentation version. These are posted online and for free so that you can share this in IL, or anywhere really in America, to show why our libraries are vital to communities, and as a result, our entire country

RAILS has also created talking point PDFs for each library type with instructions on how to engage the public in these conversations. You can see all of them here, but as an example I took a screen shot of the top half of the Public Library one.

At that page on their My Library Is... advocacy blog, they also have this encouragement:

Using Talking Points

It’s likely that there will never be a time when you can cover all of these points in one conversation, and not all may apply to you or your audience, specifically. Instead, choose items that work for you, the topics that will be of greatest interest to the person you are speaking with, and the talking points you are most comfortable addressing.

Don’t feel obligated to recite these talking points verbatim. Instead of memorizing, it may be more helpful to use your own words and add your own personal experience in order to make them your own and create a memorable story that will leave a lasting impression.

Finally, don’t forget to practice, among friends and colleagues and those in your library. This gets easier with repetition. The most important thing is to feel comfortable in what you are saying and to get the conversation started.

Back to me and last night. It was not easy, even for me, to stand up and address people (who were present) who doubled down on their anger at being told they cannot actively spew hate and still be welcome to be a part of their library's book discussion group. But I did it because the Library is an agency of impact, it is an example of what is best about America and its citizen, and it is worth fighting for.

Every single one of us, who work in or use our libraries, needs to take a look at the data driven reports RAILS has gathered. Make sure that you are not waiting for something to happen in your community, but rather, be proactive by advocating for libraries as agencies of impact. Get in front of the issue and be the first to speak out. Set the agenda; don't wait for others to define us as things we are not. 

And here are the tools to help you get started thanks to RAILS.

Library Services and Items Are NOT Free They Are Pre-Paid

Yesterday I was at a library as part of their staff day, and just like every time I have the mic at these events, whether they are in person or virtual, I remind every one that they are all complicit in spreading the fake news that library services and items are FREE.

They are not. Our services and items are PRE-PAID.

It is a key distinction. When I said this yesterday, I watched a few people write it down to remember. That made me think about the last time I reminded all of you, my readers, about this important point. So I checked when I got home and I see that while I say this to groups of people all of the time, I have not posted about it here since 2022. Which means I have not reminded the bulk of you of making this important change of language in how you talk about our items and services to the public.

Today I am fixing that. Below is a rerun of sorts, but it is probably new to many of you and therefore extremely important for me to rehash. Click here for the very first time I ran this post or just read below.

---------------------------------------

You need to stop telling people that our services are free and instead say they are PRE-PAID.

First, "free" is NOT accurate. People do not pay to check out the books and movies as they borrow them, but everyone does pay for the library and its services through their tax dollars. Yes, even renters pay because their rent pays for the taxes for the owner of the building.

We are a profession which is all about accuracy, about combatting "fake news," and yet we perpetuate our own fake news by telling people our services are free.

Reminding people that for example, they can take more than 1 book because they are free is NOT TRUE. They have paid for them, just earlier, as part of their taxes. We need to be more accurate on principle, yes but there is more to it.

Second, when we aren't being honest about the cost of our services, when we dismiss them as "free," we lull our patrons into a false sense that these services will always be there no matter what. If they forget that they have paid for these services as taxes, when the talk of tax freezes or tax cuts comes around, it will be much easier for the public to argue for cutting the library's tax line because they forget that they pay for it. All that "free" talk means they aren't reminded about the actual cost.

We need to be advocates for the good feels that the library gives people and equate that as a cost benefit. I live in a high tax area. I get it. But when my friends and neighbors complain about their taxes, I remind them what a great deal they are getting through the library [and the schools]. I tell people to think what it would actually cost them to check out those materials, stream those shows, buy audio books, go to great programs, etc.... Now look at your library tax line. It is a steal.

We have to talk about the money openly, honestly, and accurately or we will loose the financial support we need to survive.

Third, and this one is just human nature, people don't value things that are free as much as they value things they pay for. Reminding people, frequently, that they have pre-paid for the library and all of its services, elevates the value of the institution.

Every time you remind patrons that the services and items they are so please with are PRE-PAID you are advocating for your public library, actually for every public library. You are advocating for the institution itself. You are advocating for equal service to all, everywhere, all of the time.

But every time you tell people the service is free, you are undermining everything. I know you think you are trying to help by letting people know there is no charge at the time of service, but there is a charge. We have budgets, budgets that are shrinking. We do a lot with very little already, any less and we will disappear. People need to know that. They need to realize that their tax dollars are key to our survival.

So please, consider using PRE-PAID when you talk about user costs of our services. And remind them often so that if a time comes when people in your town start talking about budget cuts, they won't even consider the library's tax line. Why? Because that line is one they respect, one they use, one they know has monetary value, one that isn't free, one that requires dollars to survive. And it is our responsibility to stop the fake news of free and accurately proclaim...PRE-PAID!

It is Imperative That We Do Better At Communicating E-Book Pricing to Our Patrons

We are terrible at communicating what we do to the public. Yes some of it is because it is difficult to explain a lot of what we do. Even after 23.5 years on my local library board, my husband is still confused by some of the rules we have to follow because we are funded by tax dollars. But some of it is because we just go about our business quietly, and as long as no one ruffles our feathers, we stay quiet. 

Earlier this month, I wrote about how my library is using September-- National Library Card Sign-Up Month as a chance to share what the library is doing and its value to our citizens. We are focusing on what you get for your prepaid library card and not on tallying how many new cards we get. We have shifted our focus and we have already seen great results (such as a local brewery giving us $1 per glass of a special beer they made for us all month long). Our Executive Director has already given two very public speeches about our library, our values, and what we offer our community (such as our mission statement and strategic plan which you can see here).

Back to our HUGE problem of being bad at proactively communication what we do and why to the public-- who pay for our services. This has served us poorly in a variety of ways. For example, every time a dumpster of weeded library books show up on the internet, people freak out. And then we have a PR disaster as we have to go back and explain that collections are always added to and deleted from. And also remind people that some books need to be "retired," and no, they aren't good enough for "poor people."

Of course, the entire rise of paid political agitators actively trying to remove books from libraries has been exacerbated by us thinking if we ignored the obvious illegality of their argument that the "problem" would go away.

However, today I want to talk about another issue we have been too passive and silent on for too long and now it is out of hand-- ebook pricing and how we NEED the public's help in our fight to get fairer pricing and user models.

Let me back up for some context. I am constantly correcting people-- educated people, library users, readers-- who think that when we buy a book for the library we get it in all formats for one price. They assume we pay slightly more than them, but they think for that price we get all those copies they see in our collections.

Sigh. 

These are people who support the library and use our collections. They love getting their books for a prepaid value. They want more access to books and they would be appalled if they knew what was actually happening. They have no ideas that 1, we pay for every copy of the same book in every format and 2, that we are gouged on e-book and e-audio pricing AND that we don't even own them at those prices.

As a member of the Illinois Library Association Executive Board, I have been a part of an organized effort across a variety of states to use existing contract and consumer protection laws in each state to force publishers to be more fair in the money they charge us for e-books and e-audio. The key language here is coordinated effort. Publishers are fighting hard against these laws in every state, but we are all using similar language and avoiding FEDERAL law (because that infringes on copyright and was already shot down). This state-by-state approach that is focused on consumer protection is receiving more support from legislators and making it harder for the publishers to argue against us. Legislators want to give their constituents the best deal for their tax dollars, not fight to have their money wasted.

Here is the language ILA is using as part of our legislative agenda not his issue:

Equitable Access to Electronic Literary Materials Act
Restrictions placed on libraries accessing digital content have posed a challenge in acquiring and providing access to eBooks, as publishers often impose restrictive licensing and contractual terms.  Most publishers and eBook aggregators force libraries to acquire eBooks with licensing terms that make it impossible to meet library standard access and preservation missions. ILA will propose legislation seeking to change this through a new state law based on consumer protection, contract law, and contract preemption to regulate library eBook contracts with publishers.

This is the communication we have use to legislators about this issue.

However,-- and now it is time to bring it back to the beginning here-- we need to also work on how we communicate this issue to our card holders. E-book and e-audio access is one of the biggest selling points as to why people should have a library cards. Our patrons love the easy access and the library of materials they have at their literal fingertips. We hear it form them all the time and see it in our statistics as well.

So how can we share this complex issue more easily? Well, to start, NPR ran this 3 minute story recently (audio and transcript access are both at the same link). From the intro to that story:

AILSA CHANG, HOST: 

For years, libraries have complained that e-books are too expensive. They follow a licensing model rather than a purchasing model, meaning that librarians have to keep paying for those e-books. Now legislators in a handful of states are trying to build momentum behind a new approach. In Seattle, KUOW's Clare McGrane explains.

Yes these three minutes are just a tip of the iceberg. But, it does introduce the issue to our patrons very well. Post the NPR piece and more resources on your website. Here is a link to all of my posts on the topic as well. Reach out to your state library association and have them share the language they are doing on this issue and their resources to educate others. 

Just start talking about it. because as I said here, I really want September to not be about tallying how many new library cards you get and instead be about how many conversations you have had with your community about what the library offers.  And how we use their money to serve them is a conversation starter. When they are being fleeced fort he things they want, when they know the truth, they will get mad and advocate right alongside us. Once that happens, our legators will take action.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month And We Need to Leverage It to Spread the Good Library News

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month and it is THE BEST time to communicate the worth and importance of your library to your community-- directly. 

ALA has graphics and ideas on how you can spread the positive message about your library but today, I want to share what my library is doing because while the ALA information is helpful, it is only a general and it can be overwhelming if you don't know where to begin.

To that end, I want to use today's post to to model the behavior I want to see and help you by offering a real world example.  Here is the link where my library (I am on the Board) is communicating to the community exactly are doing for Library Card Sign-Up Month.

The first thing you should notice is that we are not only using this month to incentivize new library card sign-ups, but we also are rewarding those that have a card already as well. This is the first mistake libraries make during National Library Card Sign-Up Month. They only worry about the "Sign-Up" part. Rather, we need to think about it as a month to share how awesome having a library card is.

Which leads to the second thing we are doing. Our Executive Director and I worked to meet with Village officials (me) to write up a Proclamation (her) and encourage them to share it as part of their first September Board Meeting (both of us). It was not hard to convince everyone to get on board but it does take time and leg work. We had to start discussing the idea via email in May and then I had an in person meeting with an elected village trustee in July. Our Executive Director sent a draft proclamation-- which I have included below-- for them to approve. And by mid-August, we had it set for the 9/9 agenda.

One of the nice things about this Proclamation event is that the Village told us to "use it as a commercial" for the Library. They want us to pack the room and encouraged people to get up for public comment to say great things about the library.

That is what Library Card Sign-Up Month should be-- a commercial about everything you can do with a library card. Yes it is called "Sign-Up" month but again, when we focus on the stats and the tallying of the number of new card holders, we lose track of the marketing opportunity we have here-- a chance to get ahead of those who want to tell our story for us and in a negative (untrue) light.

This is the biggest mistake we have made in the last 4 years as others have attacked us. We have not gotten out in front of the story. We are too busy playing defense and fighting off attacks. We need to communicate what we do and our worth to a free society much better. Library Card Sign-Up Month is a slam dunk for that. We have a National spotlight to communicate how great we are through our services. And because it is a long standing, recognized event-- since 1987-- people will listen.

So I am encouraging all of you to stop thinking about adding cardholders this month and instead use the media spotlight to highlight the good work of your library and its workers.

Below, is the draft version of what our Executive Director wrote up for the Proclamation. Please feel free to use the more generic parts of it in your promotional events. 

And if you are so inclined, you can watch me and my fellow library supporters and Board members here:

Proclamation Designating September as National Library Card Sign Up Month in the Village of La Grange:

• Village of La Grange Board of Trustees Meeting, September 9 at 7:30pm
  La Grange Village Hall Auditorium. Click here to find watch options. 

Proclamation Designating September as National Library Card Sign Up Month in the Village of La Grange

*Whereas* National Library Card Sign Up Month originated in 1987 as an initiative via then-United States Secretary of Education William Bennett and the American Library Association and has been celebrated annually since; and

*Whereas* the American Library Association and libraries nationwide remind people of all ages that signing up and actively using your library card is the first step to academic success and lifelong learning; and

*Whereas* a library card provides equitable access to reading materials, technology tools, and serves to strengthen community connections; and

*Whereas* a library card contributes to a strong local economy by providing access to the technology and training that are critical to the success of jobseekers, entrepreneurs, local businesses and students; and

*Whereas* libraries are constantly transforming and expanding their services and opportunities to meet the current needs of the communities they serve; and

*Whereas* a library card provides critical access to tools that encourage free thought, exploration and the pursuit of personal excellence; and

*Whereas* libraries uphold the right to access information and promote a free society that values choices in content and affirms the ALA Freedom to Read and View Statements; and

*Whereas* library workers create welcoming and inclusive spaces for people of all backgrounds and ages to explore diverse ideas, exercise, imagination and practice literacy in all forms; and

*Whereas* the La Grange Lending Library first shared books via the La Grange Women’s Club in 1896; and

*Whereas* in 1903, the La Grange Public Library was constructed with grant funds from Andrew Carnegie, establishing its presence that has persisted for 128 years; and

*Whereas* it is the mission of the La Grange Public Library to enrich our community by inspiring connections, providing access to meaningful resources and encourage curiosity in an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere; and

Now, therefore be it resolved that the Village of La Grange will designate September as National Library Card Sign Up Month in La Grange, Illinois, and publicly recognizes the service of library workers in our community and schools and across the nation.

Public Library Advocacy Starts With Us

 I start every single one of my general RA training programs with a quote from Duncan Smith:

Books are our brand. But books are not our business. Reading is our business.

I do this to remind everyone I train that while RA Service is specifically about helping leisure readers, and can often be disparaged by those who deal in more reality based parts of the library, "reading" is at the heart of everything we do at the library. This means, those of us who advise readers are key to THE LIBRARY and what it stands for. 

While at this time it is VERY clear that all of us who work in school or public libraries NEED to be involved in advocacy, I would like to remind you that advocacy for our libraries, library workers, and patrons should be happening all of the time. There is always something we can be discussing with our readers, and our legislators, who are also our readers and patrons. Advocacy is imperative to our work in RA.

I have been a Trustee since 2001, so I have been doing advocacy for years, but I have also presented at our state conference 2x encouraging library workers to run for school and library boards. I am responsible for at least 7 people who became a trustee or board member because I did those presentations (there could be more). Those are supporters of libraries and the freedom to read that are not making larger decisions about our public schools and libraries.

Yesterday I was part of a glitzier win, and while I am going to highlight it here, there is actually a quieter, smaller win that I am more excited to share. I am doing this as an example to remind all of you that you should never feel like you are just the desk person or only a book discussion leader, or whatever makes you feel like you are not high enough on the organization chart to work on larger issues. All of us, and especially those of us who work directly with our readers, providing them with titles to read in their free time, there to help them not only with needs but with their wants, making effort and space for their enjoyment, we are the ones who can help build support for our patrons and advocate especially for the most marginalized.

First the big glitzy news. Yesterday I was at the signing of landmark IL HB2789 at the Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Public Library. Here is the official language:

Please join Governor JB Pritzker and Secretary Alexi Giannoulias for the landmark HB2789 bill signing on Monday, June 12 at 1:00 PM at the Harold Washington Library, 400 South State Street in the Thomas Hughes Children's Library on the second floor (please use the Plymouth Court Entrance).   HB2789, sponsored by Representative Anne Stava-Murray and Senator Laura M. Murphy is the first legislation in the country to allow the Secretary of State’s Office to deny state grants to public libraries that attempt to ban books.

This made IL the first state in the nation to ban book banning. 

Here is a picture with me, Secretary Giannoulias, ALA Executive Director Tracie Hall, RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris, and ILA Executive Director Cynthia Robinson, Head of CPL, Chris Brown, IL State Librarian Greg McCormick, and many others. 

It was a wonderful ceremony. And despite the political stumping vibes, it did fill my heart to be with everyone who believes so passionately in the fact that free people need to read freely.

But here is a quieter win. One that I went over to thank Secretary Giannoulias for immediately after this bigger ceremony. For the last 3 years I have been fighting for IL to provide state wide databases for all residents regardless of whether they are served by a library.

I should back up here for my non-IL readers. Unlike many states, we do NOT have county libraries. Every library in IL is serving a specific community and is paid for with the taxes from its residents. Some towns have made the decision NOT to have a library. Their taxes are lower, sure, but they residents have no library service.  Over 1 million people in our state are not served by a library. And they are not all in rural areas. Take my immediate area in Cook County, IL (the same county Chicago resides in). Surrounding my town small town of 16,000 people and in my high school district, we have one of the largest unserved populations in the state-- over 20,000 people. We offer the chance for those in our area who are unserved to buy a library card. We have to follow a state law about how to sell those and for what cost. It is NOT ideal. 

On top of the unserved, as you may have extrapolated from the above, library funding and financial support varies widely in IL since it is based on the tax rate in each community. Community's like mine can afford to give us more, but just 5 miles away, there are libraries that are struggling to offer basic services.

One of those services that every citizen of IL should have is access to basic databases to search for and obtain vetted information. As we all know, a general internet search where you can only access free resources are problematic at best and harmful at worst. Not only do those without library service not have access to searching databases easily, but there are many libraries in IL who have $0 to buy any databases.

Okay now back to the beginning, the last 3 years. I have made this my advocay issue. Statewide databases. And I have not shut up about it.

We are only 1 of 2 states that do not offer these in the US. I was on the committee that worked on the proposal and talking points you can find on this page. I met with my local legislators and explained that for only $5 million in statewide investment we could save the taxpayers of IL at least $28 million (but probably more). I explained that with the proliferation of "fake news," a democracy requires access to reliable information and it needs to be accessible online or in a library by every citizen. (All of the talking points are here.)

Republicans and Democrats alike agreed that this was a great idea, but no one was proposing a bill. On top of that for the first 1.5 years, I was also being told that larger groups did not have the bandwidth to help push this through, that other issues were more pressing. I respected that and even met with the former head of ILA to discuss it all and we agreed that they would not pursue it, but that I was not going to stop even though in the past the library community agreed to stand together and not try to push things outside of the official ILA legislative priorities. 

So I kept fighting. And I ran for the ILA Board because if I was on that board, I had in say in its legislative priorities. And, also  key to this story, both RAILS and ILA had a change of leadership at the top. And lo and behold....this year we all pushed for Statewide databases to be the #1 ILA legislative priority. 

However, there was one key change that we still needed, a new Secretary of State, one who had served on the CPL Board, one that cares about library deeply and that is Secretary Giannoulias. 

Library leaders were invited to meet with him before he took office and this  ask for $5 million for statewide databases was communicated to him. He heard loud and clear and said that we should not wait for legislators, and instead he would put it in his very first SoS budget (in IL the SoS is in charge of libraries and library grants). We all held our breath and waited. Giannoulias included it as promised. Then we needed to wait and see if the $5 million would be cut. It was not, and a few days ago the Governor signed the budget which made 3 years of work finally come true.

Back to yesterday. I made a beeline for the Secretary to thank him. This would literally not have happened without him taking the initiative tome it happen. He told me that they tried to cut that $5 million, multiple times, but he knew how important it was,. I talked to him about my community and it needs. I wanted him to know how grateful I was that he listened and stood by us. He could have cut $5 million to make others happy, but he  refused. And here's the thing, he hugged and thanked me. He understood that the work for that $5 million was just as important as the more glitzy legislation we were celebrating on this day. HE was thankful that we let him know about this need.

Again, he thank us for telling him what we needed. This is the key of my post today. not to  showcase myself but rather to show you that fighting for the small wins is just as important as the big ones. And sometimes "fighting" simply means communicating your needs to those with the power to help you get what you need.

I hope this story inspires you--  the person serving leisure readers-- to reach out to your local rep very soon. Invite them to your library. Get them in your space. Show them all of the good work you are doing. Tell them what you need to reach your goals. Ask them for support to do more. ILA has some wonderful resources if you need help getting started. 

But don't think advocacy is not for you. You are the ones working with patrons every day. Helping them navigate the world. Please make those connections with your local legislators this summer. Many of them will  be off. Invite them to a program, encourage them to participate in Summer Reading. Offer a photo opportunity. Secretary Giannoulias brought his kid to the library yesterday. Invite your legislators to bring their younger family members as well. But don't think it is not your place to reach out.

Thanks for indulging me today. Back with more targeted RA content tomorrow.