IFLA PRINCIPLES FOR THE LICENSING/PURCHASE
AND USE OF EBOOKS IN LIBRARIES
These Principles were endorsed by the IFLA Governing Board in February 2013.
1. Libraries should be able to license and/or purchase all commercially available eBooks
under a variety of terms and conditions dependent upon the nature of the work and the rights
provided to libraries and their users such as:
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Number of simultaneous users
The period of time the library has the right to make the eBook available.
The option of outright purchase with permanent availability
A limit on the total number of loans permitted
Publication date and retail sales.
2. Given a mutual respect for copyright on the part of libraries and rightsholders, any eBook
licensing/purchase options offered to libraries must respect copyright limitations and
exceptions available to libraries and their users in legislation including if applicable:
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The right to copy a portion of the work
Reformat the work for preservation purposes if it is licensed or purchased for
permanent access
Provide an interlibrary loan copy
Re-format a work to enable print disabled access
Libraries should have the right to bypass a technological protection measure for the purpose
of exercising any non-infringing purposes.
3. eBooks available from libraries should be usable on all commonly available eReading
devices.
4. Libraries a nd library users must be able to control the use of a user’s personal information
including their library digital reading choices.
5. When publishers and/or authors and/or resellers withhold library access to eBooks,
national legislation should require such access under reasonable terms and conditions.
Source: ifla.org
IFLA BACKGROUND PAPER ON E-LENDING
This is a brief extract of the main points from the Background Paper.
As part of its work on the 2011-2012 Key Initiatives, the IFLA Governing Board appointed a working
group to draft a background paper on digital lending. At its April meeting the IFLA Governing Board
endorsed this paper.
There are a variety of technical, legal and strategic issues which arise from the addition of
downloadable eBooks to library collections which have led to concern, confusion and frustration for
libraries and their users, publishers and authors. The IFLA Governing Board formed a Working Group
to prepare a background paper on the issues relating to eBook availability in libraries to assist in the
formulation of a policy on the matter. Go to page 6
Wadah Perpustakaan Bil.3, Mac 2013
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