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HarperCollins Wants Library EBooks to Self-Destruct After 26 Loans

Posted by Roblimo on from the it-sounded-good-on-paper dept.

An anonymous reader writes: "HarperCollins has decided to change their agreement with e-book distributor OverDrive [and other distributors, too]. They forced OverDrive, which is a main e-book distributor for libraries, to agree to terms so that HarperCollins e-books will only be licensed for checkout 26 times. Librarians have blown up over this, calling for a boycott of HarperCollins, breaking the DRM on e-books -- basically doing anything to let HarperCollins and other publishers know they consider this abuse." Cory Doctorow, who wrote TFA, says: "For the record, all of my HarperCollins ebooks are also available as DRM-free Creative Commons downloads. And as bad as HarperCollins' terms are, they're still better than Macmillan's, my US/Canadian publisher, who don't allow any library circulation of their ebook titles."

4 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Unsaid but... by esoterus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Harper Collins also wants libraries to self-destruct after being used 26 times.

    --
    Not only does God definitely play dice, but He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. -Hawking
  2. Where have I heard this before? by Overzeetop · · Score: 5, Funny

    "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further. "

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
    1. Re:Where have I heard this before? by airfoobar · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sony?

  3. LOL @ Doctorow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    All I take from this, is that Cory Doctorow needs to have all of his book rights under a better publisher than Macmillan.