DPLA and IPG jointly offer libraries the opportunity to own e-books

Since the early days of the library e-book market, one of the most important things librarians need has been the ability to purchase and own e-books, not just a license for fee-based access. A partnership between the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) and the Independent Publishers Group (IPG) now offers the ability to purchase e-books from a variety of independent publishers.

Under the agreement, libraries will not only be able to license access to e-books, but also purchase and own them through DPLA’s digital content platform, Palace Marketplace. DPLA officials said PW The program currently includes more than 38,000 titles, with more to come. Initially, Palace will host the files purchased by libraries until the libraries have established a “secure, DRM-protected environment” and can take ownership of the files.

“At IPG, we have always supported libraries and their critical role in providing access, facilitating discovery and preserving books for the long term,” said Joe Matthews, CEO of Independent Publishers Group, in a statement.

“Most readers don’t realize that the thousands of libraries that offer access to e-books don’t actually own that digital content themselves,” added John S. Bracken, executive director of the DPLA. “This groundbreaking agreement with IPG begins to change those practices. We hope that even more publishers will join us in making their books more accessible to readers everywhere.”

Prices are set by publishers and vary widely by title, but DPLA said the average price appears to be around $30. Publishers involved in the deal include Austin Macauley, Arcadia Publishing, Dynamite Entertainment, Dover Publications and JMS Books, as well as dozens of other reputable indie publishers.

In a post on the ReadersFirst blog, Michael Blackwell, director of the St. Mary’s County Library, said the deal was an important moment for the library e-book market.

“Since the advent and proliferation of digital content, libraries could only license e-books and audiobooks from publishers and aggregators, with no ability to purchase them. This trapped libraries in licensing agreements that required them to spend more money on fewer books that did not belong to them,” Blackwell said. “A growing number of library leaders realized that the need to lend e-books and audiobooks was preventing them from fulfilling their mission of collecting, preserving, and ensuring long-term access to books for all readers.”