The Copyfight in Libraryland

There's an interesting debate going on right now in my library. One of the publishers that we buy directly from has made the decision not to sell books with CD-ROMs in them to libraries, so we're not going to get them. My instant reaction was, "screw this, lets just go get the same titles through another vendor or at a bookstore." On the other hand, another one of my colleagues (one with more pull than I) feels that to go elsewhere we would subvert the intent of the publisher's policy, and that it's essentially the publisher's call. A third colleague (who I have merely temporarily taken over this particular collection responsibility from) feels that we should try to acquire the books without the CD-ROM.

What to do. What to do.

The copyfighter in me instantly wants to just go and get the materials from a bookstore. I mean, we pay for the information and our patrons, I feel, deserve it. I get very nervous when publishers start denying libraries access to their materials, and I suspect, given the current move towards DRM and hyper-restrictive copyright laws, that this is only the beginning. Call me paranoid, but with the AL's actions to block the Homeland Security law in the US, there's got to be a certain right-wing element that is not going to be sympathetic to ye olde library.

In any case, I don't want to antagonize anyone or any publisher needlessly, but I also believe that insofar as we have a legal right to collect material, we should if it fill an information need for our patrons. The kicker is that I believe that it's in the best interest of this publisher to allow us to purchase and use their materials. Not only are they getting sales out of it directly, but also it's free advertising, and a public service that costs them nothing. Indeed, if people find something useful at the library--something that for them is a worthwhile reference--they will often buy it. Sure some people will photocopy or burn, but they're generally not the ones who were going to buy it in the first place.

The truth is that the "try before you buy" approach works. I have purchased copies of Cory Doctorow's and Charles Stross' books for the library as a direct result of their making works freely available online. (You should check out Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom and Accelerando.)

So do I want to subvert the intent of this publisher's intent, you bet. But what I really want to do is tell them that their fear isn't necessary, and that by placing such restrictions on their product, they are doing themselves and others a disservice. I hope you agree.