<html><body><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000"><div data-marker="__QUOTED_TEXT__"><div style="font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt;color:#000000"><div><div id="zimbraEditorContainer" class="4"><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Good Morning,</div><br><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Over the past couple of years there have been bills introduced in several state legislatures with regards to eBook access and equity for libraries. The Maryland bill advanced the furthest; it was actually signed into law in early 2022 but was quickly appealed by the AAP, determined to be unconstitutional, and hence overturned.</div><br><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Thought I would share the attached Library Futures policy paper to give everyone a summary of what the issues are, as well as what action has been taken in which state legislatures with regards to this.</div><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><br></div><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt">There has also been some activity on the federal level. Attached is a copy of a November 18, 2021 letter from Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Anna Eshoo to B&T CEO Amandeep Kochar. All of the CEO's of the big library eBook aggregators (OverDrive, CloudLibrary, etc.) were sent a copy of the same letter. </div><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><br></div><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Prior to that, the CEO's of the "Big Five" publishing companies were asked by Wyden/Eshoo to submit answers to similar questions in a September 23, 2021 letter, linked below.</div><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><br></div><div><a href="https://www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/wyden-eshoo-press-big-five-publishers-on-costly-overly-restrictive-e-book-contracts-with-libraries" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/wyden-eshoo-press-big-five-publishers-on-costly-overly-restrictive-e-book-contracts-with-libraries</a><br></div><br><div>I've not seen the replies from either the eBook aggregator or publisher CEO's to the Wyden/Eshoo requests for information.</div><br><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Jim Flury</div><br><div style="color:rgb( 0 , 0 , 0 );font-family:'arial' , 'helvetica' , sans-serif;font-size:12pt">Jim Flury<br>Technical Services Manager<br>The Library Network<br>41365 Vincenti Court<br>Novi, MI 48375<br>248-536-3100, ext 133<br>Fax 248-536-3098<br>Note New Email Address:jflury@tln.org</div></div></div></div><br></div></div></body></html>