Legal and social dynamics of ebook lending in Australia’s public libraries

Ebooks have tremendous beneficial potential, particularly for Australians in remote areas and those with impaired mobility or vision. Compared to physical books however, the rights of libraries to acquire and lend them are severely restricted. This project brings together 8 library partners with legal, social and data science researchers to investigate ebook lending practices and understand their social impacts. Building upon that evidence base, the project will identify ways of reforming policy, law, and practice to help libraries fulfill their public interest missions.
This project seeks to cast new light on libraries’ social and cultural roles in the digital age, and enable them to extract more value from existing public investments.