E-books

For Access to Information For All. For Our Libraries. ALA 150, American Library Association.

Summary of Positions

All published works must be available for libraries to purchase and lend to library users.
Access to and use of E-books must equitably balance the rights and privileges of readers, authors, and publishers.
Digital content must be accessible to all people, regardless of physical or reading disabilities.
Library patrons must be able to access digital content on the device of their choosing.
Reading records must remain private in the digital age.

The Issue

After several years of relative stability, the publisher eBook licensing terms for library lending are again shifting in disconcerting directions. ALA has a longstanding commitment to ensuring all people have access to the world's knowledge through our nation's libraries, regardless of format. Many new models for library digital lending will make it difficult for libraries to fulfill our central mission—ensuring access to information for all. ALA is exploring all possible avenues to ensure that libraries can continue to purchase and lend at pricing models that are reasonable and flexible. Access to and use all published works—regardless of format—must equitably balance the rights and privileges of readers, authors, and publishers.

Recent work by ALA - including the Digital Public Library Ecosystem Report from 2023 - has shown the range of challenges facing libraries as they work to offer digital materials to their patrons.

Recent Advocacy

ALA testimony to Rhode Island Senate supporting S2525
February 23, 2026: ALA testimony to Rhode Island House supporting H7606
January 5, 2026: ALA testimony to DC City Council supporting the Library E-book Pricing Fairness Amendment Act of 2025
May 27, 2023: Letter to RI Legislature supporting S 0498 to ensure libraries can purchase E-books at reasonable terms
April 26, 2022: Letter to RI Legislature supporting S 2842 to protect library & patron access to E-books
April 4, 2022: State Legislative Efforts Update
October, 2021: Letter to NY Governor Kathy Hochul urging the passage of E-books legislation
March 17, 2020: ALA's Response to cancellation of Macmillan embargo
Correspondence Archive

Related Tools

ALA Policymaker One-Pager on E-books in Libraries
Digital Public Library Ecosystem 2023
#eBooksForAll Graphics Toolkit
- Graphics and social media templates for state-level E-books advocacy
- Includes customizable options for multiple platforms
To learn more about ALA's past E-books advocacy, see the archived #eBooksForAll campaign here.