Commission seeks to ease publisher restrictions on loans of eBooks from libraries

Minister for Rural and Community Issues Heather Humphreys said: “My department is working in conjunction with the Libraries Development Unit in the LGMA (Local Government Management Agency) and representatives of the Library Association of Ireland, to seek a resolution to this issue.” 

The Irish Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is currently examining the restrictive terms applied to the licensing of eBooks in both public and academic libraries.

The Library Association of Ireland has previously warned that libraries here are encountering more and more issues with eBooks including “scandalous” price increases, restrictive licensing terms, and a lack of availability.