eLending update: IFLA launches 2014 eLending Background Paper

Background

At last year’s WLIC in Singapore, IFLA launched its Principles for Library eLending, as part of an all-day program exploring the complicated licensing eBook licensing environment libraries around the world find themselves in today.

At the same Congress, the IFLA Governing Board discussed the rapid pace at which the eLending landscape continues to evolve, and endorsed a revision of IFLA’s original eLending Background Paper (2012) to capture eLending developments since.

Launch

Over the past year, chair of the eLending Group Paul Whitney has coordinated updating of the IFLA eLending Background Paper, together with Working Group members.

The IFLA 2014 eLending Background Paper, launched in July 2014, maps the eLending landscape today across several geographical regions. It considers new definitions of “eBook” and “eLending”, in light of different interpretations of it around the world, recent trends in eBook publishing and distribution, recent library eLending advocacy efforts and legal development