Brief Summary
Jeff Edmonds discusses the shift from physical books to ebooks in libraries and the implications of this change. He explains that libraries don't actually own ebooks but rather license them, leading to issues such as high costs, publisher control, and the removal of content. He advocates for open access to knowledge, suggesting that research and educational materials should be treated as public goods rather than private commodities.
- Libraries license ebooks instead of owning them, leading to instability and high costs.
- Scholarly publishing is controlled by a few major publishers who leverage their power.
- Open access and open educational resources (OER) offer a solution by making knowledge freely available.
The Ebook "Purchase" Illusion
Jeff Edmonds introduces a scenario where books are removed from a library, highlighting the issue of ebook licensing. He explains that unlike physical books, ebooks are not purchased but licensed, meaning libraries don't own them. This distinction has significant implications for libraries, especially with the increasing shift towards digital collections. Publishers decided not to sell ebooks to prevent the uncontrolled copying and distribution that would undermine their profits.
The Scale and Control of Ebook Collections
The libraries' catalog consists of over 10 million items, with more than 6 million being digital ebooks. Because these ebooks are licensed, they are subject to removal, with thousands being removed monthly. Publishers control the book collections, particularly the five major publishers in scholarly publishing. This oligopoly allows them to manipulate costs, enforce non-disclosure agreements, and bundle content, forcing libraries to license unwanted materials.
The Absurdity of Knowledge Ownership
The knowledge that populates these ebooks is created by scholars at universities, funded by tuition, taxpayer dollars, and grants. Despite public funding, the resulting manuscripts are handed off to publishers who then license them back at a high cost. Penn State libraries spend over $13 million annually on electronic resources, highlighting the economic strain of this system. This ecosystem is economically unsound and needs correction.
Open Access as a Solution
Edmonds suggests treating knowledge as a public good, similar to roads or clean water. This approach involves moving away from private publishers and embracing open access. He cites the example of the journal "Glossa," which was created after editors left Elsevier due to pricing issues. Open access literature is freely available online without licensing restrictions.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Expanding open access to textbooks leads to open educational resources (OER). Textbook costs have risen dramatically, causing many students to avoid purchasing them or even taking courses. The Open Textbook Library offers over 1,500 free textbooks that can be adapted by professors. This model is more sustainable than requiring students to pay high prices for textbooks they may not reuse.
Libraries' Role in Providing Free Access
The libraries are working to identify and make discoverable resources that are not controlled by publishers and are freely available online. Currently, over 1,200,000 such resources are accessible to anyone with internet access. Libraries are a fundamental pillar of democracy, ensuring free and equitable access to information and knowledge. Knowledge should be treated as a public good, not a private commodity.
