Get Involved

Add your voice to conversation if you agree that access to all published works—regardless of format—must equitably balance the rights and privileges of readers, authors, and publishers.

Join our new ALA Connect eBooksForAll Community to share your experience and receive the latest news and updates. Registration is required, but Connect is free to join — ALA membership is not required.

Questions or suggestions? Contact us ebooksforall@ala.org.

Outreach

Use this eBooksForAll one-pager (PDF) for outreach to your member of Congress, decision makers, and other stakeholders.

Ensuring eBooksForAll through America's Libraries.

Write Letters

Write a Letter to the Editor (Word doc)

How to Reach Out to Public Affairs Programs (Word doc)

Letter to Editor: In response to recent coverage of Macmillan Publishers eBook embargo for libraries, it's important to recognize the impact on libraries like ours...

Write an Op-ed

Op-eds in local media outlets are a great way to influence people's views. Check out these tips, sample op-ed, and examples from the #eBookForAll campaign.

Submit An Op-Ed to Your Local Paper (Word doc)

I’m a school librarian whose students are digital natives, but their access to e-books is limited | Gina Caneva | Chalkbeat | 12/13/19

Opinion: A major publisher is denying library users access to new e-books. That’s wrong | John Szabo and Sky Patrick | Los Angeles Times | 12/3/19

Omaha Public Library: Macmillan Publishing is limiting your access to e-books | Laura Marlane | Omaha News | 12/1/19

Ebook publisher takes shortsighted approach to role libraries have in developing new book consumers | Ginnie Graham | Tulsa World | 11/6/2019

Macmillan unfairly restricts access to e-books | Heidi Daniel and Paula Miller | Baltimore Sun | 11/5/2019

How a publisher is punishing library users with eBooks limit | Michael Lambert | San Francisco Chronicle | 10/30/2019

Publishers, please don't limit e-book access | Metro Area Public Library Directors | Minneapolis Star Tribune | 10/15/2019

Newly released e-books could become scarce at Denver libraries with publisher embargoes | Michelle Jeske | Denver Post | 10/15/2019

Publishers are blocking your access to e-books at local libraries | Vailey Oehlke | The Oregonian | 10/2/2019

My Turn: E-book embargo unfair to New Hampshire readers | Christine Friesse | Concord Monitor |10/1/2019

Column: A threat to public library access: e-books no more? | Patrick Losinski | Columbus Dispatch | 10/1/2019

Publishers’ e-book restrictions and pricing hurt library users in Seattle, King County and beyond | Lisa G. Rosenblum and Marcellus Turner | The Seattle Times |10/1/2019 |

Publishers limit libraries' ability to provide eBooks | Jennifer Slone | Chillicothe Gazette | 9/28/2019

Limiting library e-books a blow to literacy | Ramiro Salazar | San Antonio Express-News | 9/27/2019

Public libraries across the country face a different type of censorship | Kent Oliver | Tennessean | 9/20/2019

Value/Impact of Library Lending

PANORAMA PROJECT
Panorama Project is a cross-industry, collaborative research initiative dedicated to using data to measure the impact libraries have on developing readers, driving book discovery, and generating book sales in their local communities and beyond.

If you’re a public librarian in the U.S. involved with events programming, please take 10-15 minutes to complete their survey and join the Panorama Project mailing list.

SHARE YOUR EBOOK EMBARGO EXPERIENCE
Please share your experiences with the embargo now that it is in effect. Screenshot your waitlist and share your story on the #eBooksForAll hashtag about how the embargo is impacting your community.

VALUE OF AUTHOR MARKETING CALCULATOR
What are your library's marketing efforts for authors worth? Calculate them with the Value of Author Marketing Calculator spreadsheet (XLSX) developed by Hallie Rich, Communications and External Relations Director at Cuyahoga County Public Library. Learn more with our instructions (Word doc) and an example of what the analysis can look like (PDF) after you’re done!

Questions or suggestions? Contact us at ebooksforall@ala.org.

Spread the Word

Libraries: Get the word out to your patrons, stakeholders, and Friends group about the #eBooksForAll campaign. Check out these great examples:

Broward County Libraries PDF | Word doc

Columbus Metroplitan Library Email PDF | Word doc

Cuyahoga County Public Library Email PDF | Word doc

San Antonio Public Library Email PDF | Word doc

Central Arkansas Library System Blog Post

Iowa City Public Library Blog Post

Lawrence Public Library Blog Post

Social Media

Social media channels provide a place where libraries, library users, and others can share the work they are doing and the issues they care about – and reinforce relationships with decision makers and the communities they represent. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram are perfectly designed for communicating creatively with our elected officials.

The following examples can be edited and posted to either your personal page, or if you represent a library, then on your library pages and sites.

Sample Social Media Posts (Word doc)

Twitter:

.@MacmillanUSA is limiting your access to eBooks via your [@PublicLibrary]. Join @ALAlibrary & libraries across the country in opposing this library embargo. Sign the #eBooksForAll petition now: https://eBooksForAll.org

Facebook:

Macmillan Publishers is limiting your access to eBooks via your [insert your public FB link library here]. Join libraries across the country to oppose this library embargo. Sign the #eBooksForAll petition now, and tell Macmillan that access to eBooks should not be delayed or denied: https://eBooksForAll.org

Linked In:

Please stand with me to oppose @MacmillanUsa limiting your access to eBooks via your public library. Join @ALAlibrary & libraries across the country in opposing their library embargo. Sign the #eBooksForAll petition: https://eBooksForAll.org