Hi, all,
Publishers Weekly's Andrew Albanese has written an informative overview of a statement recently released by the Maryland Library Association (MLA) setting out one interpretation of Maryland's ebook legislation. [Disclosure: the article contains statements from and (yukk!) a photo of me. Obviously I am not an impartial party. I apologize for any appearance of self-promotion-it is the law and statement that are important!]
The article, which is I think a must-read for anyone interested in the library digital content market, sets out the MLA contention that that simply making digital content available is not enough to be in full compliance with the law. The statement allows for a wide variety of models, but the fundamental idea is that digital content should, in a combination of all terms including license duration and cost, approximate the cost for analog, particularly print cost. The MLA argues that what has been "reasonable" for hundreds of years in print is a good guide to what digital should cost.
If you get a chance, let me know what you think of the article and the MLA position.
All best,
Michael Blackwell
Director, St Mary's County Library
23630 Hayden Farm Lane
Leonardtown, MD 20650
301-475-2151 x5013
Cell phone: 301-904-3048
mblackwell@stmalib.org