[CASL-L] ALA statement on Random House eBook pricing

[IRENE KWIDZINSKI]

FYI


----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Sara Kelly Johns <skjohns at gmail.com>
To: aaslforum at ala.org; SLMS-School Library Media <nyla-slms at lm.nyla-omc.org>
Sent: Fri, March 2, 2012 4:32:24 PM
Subject: [aaslforum] Fwd: [alacoun] ALA statement on Random House

FYI...300% ! Sara


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Emily Sheketoff <esheketoff at alawash.org>
Date: Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 4:26 PM
Subject: [alacoun] ALA statement on Random House
To: alacro-l at ala.org, alacoun at ala.org



Random House increase ebook prices…
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2012/03/ebooks/librarians-feel-sticker-shock-as-price-for-random-house-ebooks-rise-as-much-as-300-percent/

 
 
 
Here’s the ALA statement on Random House:
http://www.ala.org/news/pr?id=9560 
ALA calls on Random House to reconsider major ebook price increase
CHICAGO – The American Library Association (ALA) is calling on publisher Random 
House to reconsider its decision to raise the price of ebooks to the library 
market starting March 1. ALA President Molly Raphael issued the following 
statement:
“While I appreciate Random House’s engagement with libraries and its commitment 
to perpetual access,” Raphael said, “I am deeply disappointed in the severe 
escalation in ebook pricing reported today. Calling on our history together and 
our hope to satisfy mutual goals moving forward, the American Library 
Association strongly urges Random House to reconsider its decision. In a time of 
extreme financial constraint, a major price increase effectively curtails access 
for many libraries, and especially our communities that are hardest hit 
economically.
“Also, ALA appreciates the data gaps that exist, and we commit to work quickly 
and collaboratively to address this concern. We must have better data to inform 
decisions that have such wide and deep implications.
“Finally, we recognize and thank those publishers and aggregators that have 
worked with libraries on e-book lending models at a time of significant 
disruption and change. Libraries must have the ability to purchase a wide range 
of digital content at a fair price so that all readers have full access to our 
world’s creative and cultural resources, especially those who depend on 
libraries as their only source of reading material.
“Libraries belong at the center of this digital revolution, not on the 
periphery. We continue to seek partners to further our shared goals of 
connecting readers and authors well into the 21st century.”
As posted on the e-content blog (same statement):
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/e-content/ala-calls-random-house-reconsider-major-ebook-price-increase

 
 


-- 
Sara Kelly Johns, School Librarian
Lake Placid Middle/High School Library
Instructor, Mansfield University School Library & Information Technology Program
AASL Division Councilor. ALA Council
AASL Legislative Committee
67 Canaras Ave.
Saranac Lake, NY 12983
johns at northnet.org
skjohns at gmail.com





"All knowledge is spendable currency, depending on the market"--Maya Angelou, I 
Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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