EBooks and Public Lending Right in Canada

On behalf of the Public Lending Right Commission (PLR), the Canada Council for the Arts commissioned a report on the availability, acquisition, and lending of electronic books (eBooks) in public libraries.

Given that the eBook market for public libraries in Canada is in the very early stages of development, the report examines emerging distribution models for eBooks to public libraries under consideration by publishers in Canada and the United States. The report also identifies for the Commission the possible implications for PLR’s mandate and operations if eBooks are included in the programme.

The report was written between March and May 2011 and should be read as a snapshot of the status of eBooks in Canadian public libraries during this period. Relevant developments continue and at the end of the report writing process they are taking place on almost a weekly basis.