Simon & Schuster Drops “Buy It Now” Requirement

Plus an updated Big Five status chart

November 20, 2014

Simon & Schuster (S&S) announced November 20 that it will no longer require libraries to display a “Buy It Now” (BIN) button in order to lend its ebooks. Instead, libraries will be able to opt into the BIN program at their option. This change eases tension among S&S, libraries, and ebook vendors, and it opens the door to a full partnership with S&S and greater access for library patrons to the publisher’s ebooks. No other publisher had a BIN requirement.

In its press release welcoming this change, ALA President Courtney Young said, “This change also speaks to the importance of sustaining conversations among librarians, publishers, distributors, and authors to continue advancing our shared goals of connecting writers and readers.” S&S President Carolyn Reidy said in her release, “Since we first began offering ebooks to libraries, we have been gratified by the enthusiastic response and valuable feedback we have received from our partners in the library community.” Kudos to Simon & Schuster for listening and responding.

Many libraries found the BIN requirement to be coercive and beyond the bounds of business terms (price, loan limits, and time limits) already instituted by the Big Five. Some of these libraries have been asking their ebook vendors (OverDrive, 3M, Baker & Taylor) to adapt their software to segregate S&S titles so that they would not need to offer the BIN button for all publishers.

Other libraries embraced the BIN concept, when it was first introduced by OverDrive several years ago, as an extension of their service and a way that patrons could support their library. However, the consensus is that sales through BIN have been minimal with little shared revenue flowing to libraries.

The decision by S&S to drop the BIN requirement puts the decision making about offering ebooks for sale to patrons through the library catalog where it belongs—with local librarians and governing authorities.

An updated chart (PDF file) showing the status of library access to ebooks from the Big Five is now available.

ROBERT C. MAIER is a member of the ALA Digital Content Working Group.

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Simon & Schuster Drops “Buy It Now” Requirement

Plus an updated Big Five status chart

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