Frequently asked questions: Macmillan e-book purchase suspension
Below, you’ll find answers to many of the questions we’ve received about our decision to suspend purchases of Macmillan eBooks.
Which eBooks are affected?
All eBook titles published by Macmillan or by any of the publishers that Macmillan owns. These titles will still appear in our catalog in other formats, but will not be available in eBook format.
What will happen to Macmillan e-books that San Antonio Public Library already has in the catalog?
Macmillan e-books already in our collection will remain. You can continue to place hold requests and check them out as usual. If you have a Macmillan e-book checked out right now, it will not be affected.
Does this purchase suspension include Macmillan books in all formats?
No. This decision only affects Macmillan eBooks. We will continue to purchase print and audiobook versions of Macmillan titles.
I don’t know much about Macmillan. What books do they publish?
Macmillan is one of the “Big Five” book publishers in the world, along with Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster. They publish a wide variety of fiction, nonfiction, and other genres from hundreds of different authors.
How long will this suspension last?
We don’t have an end date right now. Should Macmillan cancel its embargo, we will immediately lift the suspension.
I want Macmillan to stop their embargo, or at least offer better terms to libraries. What can I do?
You can let Macmillan know how you feel by signing the #e-booksForAll petition at www.e-booksforall.org, by emailing Macmillan directly at press.inquiries@macmillan.com, signing the petition at eBooksforAll.org, or by using the #eBooksForAll hashtag to spread the word on social media and lead other readers to the petition.
How many of the books the San Antonio Public Library buys come from Macmillan?
There are 509 Macmillan eBook titles in our collection currently out of 59,763 eBooks (less than 1% of our collection).
Why don’t you at least take the single e-book Macmillan is offering so I have some chance of getting it from the library?
We believe everyone deserves equal access to books and information. In our view, Macmillan’s policy means that only those who can and will pay for access deserve it. That’s why we believe this is the next step we must take.
Please know that this was not an easy decision to make as we are aware that some of our customers will not be able to access popular and newly released eBook titles (provided by MacMillan) in their preferred format. However, we firmly believe that this suspension is the best way we can support eBook readers and ensure that libraries have equal access to digital materials.
In the meantime, please feel free to access print or eAudiobook copies of new release titles where applicable. This embargo does not affect these formats, and San Antonio Public Library will continue to provide them.
