Baram Leads Passage Of Bill For Study Of E-Books For Libraries

Rep. David Baram (D-Bloomfield, Windsor) led passage of a bill Tuesday by the House of Representatives that he says could pave the way toward a new law next year requiring publishers to offer electronic books, or e-books, for sale at a reasonable cost to libraries, which could then lend them to library users.  

Passed by a unanimous vote, House Bill 5614 calls for the commissioner of consumer protection, in consultation with the state librarian and the attorney general, to conduct a study of the availability of e-books to users of public libraries.  The study will include information from interested third parties, including book publishers, authors and library representatives.

Rep. Baram, House chair of the legislature’s General Law Committee, said the study is critical for the eventual passage of a new law requiring publishers to sell their e-books at a reasonable cost to libraries.

“Some people asked why we’re not just passing the new law now, but the legal issues surrounding this are extremely complicated and if we don’t do this correctly there’s likely to be lawsuits, injunctions and nothing will happen,” Baram said. “We deemed it more appropriate to do a study to address the issues beforehand. This way everyone will be given the opportunity to weigh in with their concerns.”

“It is my full expectation that we will create legislation next year to implement the recommendations of the study,” he said.

Through either purchases or donations, libraries for years have been able to acquire printed materials rather easily. As more and more reading content is being delivered digitally, however, libraries are struggling increasingly to obtain the materials.

The Connecticut Library Association says the problem is that some publishers are making it difficult for libraries to purchase e-books by imposing unfair lending practices, which include price gouging, lending restrictions and in some cases outright refusal to license e-books to libraries.

Rep. Baram said the bill he would seek after the study is conducted would stop the current practices by requiring publishers of electronic books to offer the e-books for sale to public and academic libraries at the same rates as offered to the general public.

“Public libraries provide a public good by making information freely available to all – regardless of age, ethnicity, educational level or income. Equity of access is a core value of libraries and it should not matter what format the content comes in – including digital,” Baram said.

The bill now goes to the Senate for action.