Anyone who has been taking advantage of Amazon's liberal return policy regarding e-books could soon be in for a shock. That's because following discussions with the Authors Guild, Amazon has agreed to block automatic returns on digital books that are more than 10 percent read. Currently, the problem for authors on Amazon is that customers can return e-books online anytime within seven days of purchase no matter how much content has been consumed. That means if you can you read a book in less than a week, you can simply return it when you're done for free, resulting in a loss of profits for the author. However, under the new policy which is scheduled to go into effect sometime before the end of the year, Amazon will begin blocking automatic returns on e-books that are more than 10 read, which will then need to be reviewed by a representative to ensure that the return is genuine. The Authors Guild says the goal is to create a deterrent for people who abuse Amazon's current policy and to prevent people from treating Amazon's e-book marketplace as an ersatz library. Issues with Amazon's e-book return policy date back more than a decade, but had recently come under fire again after lifehacks about the company's guidelines began circulating online. And according to NPR, in some cases, abuse of the company's return policy even resulted in some authors having negative earnings balances, which typically happened when customers returned an e-book after the creator had been paid out... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2022-09-23 19:10:20 UTC ]
Among the week's headlines: the pressure keeps mounting on Macmillan following its library e-book embargo; a backlash follows after a group of Florida elected officials politicizes the library's New York Times subcription; and an update on the Library of Congress modernization efforts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-11-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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On Monday, just days after the publisher's controversial embargo on new release e-books in libraries went into effect, Macmillan CEO John Sargent met with a group of state librarians, fleshing out his belief that new release e-books in libraries hurt the publisher's revenues. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-11-06 05:00:00 UTC ]
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A group of US libraries plan to boycott Macmillan over its controversial new e-book lending policy, suspending purchases of digital copies from the publisher. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-01 03:15:48 UTC ]
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TV star joins delegation to the chancellor of the exchequer demanding an end to VAT on digital books, which traditional publications escapeChildren’s laureate Cressida Cowell and former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq have joined 90 MPs calling on the government to scrap the “reading tax” on... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2019-10-31 15:01:27 UTC ]
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Macmillan in the US has apologised to librarians for not informing them of upcoming changes to its e-book lending policy but has refused to amend it amid an outcry and 150,000 signature petition. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-31 03:00:10 UTC ]
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Congress has launched an inquiry into digital markets competitions as the row over e-book lending to libraries in the United States continues. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-24 13:43:25 UTC ]
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Among the week's headlines: a new ALA e-book club launches; pushback on Macmillan's library e-book embargo keeps rolling in; and are library workers under siege? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-10-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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A federal court delivers a mixed decision on net neutrality; OCLC hosts its annual Library Futures Conference; and library supporters continue to hammer Macmillan over its e-book embargo. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-10-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins has begun selling a "limited number" of backlist e-books via Amazon’s £7.99 a month subscription e-book service Kindle Unlimited in the UK and Australia in a major shift from one of the big publishers. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-30 20:49:12 UTC ]
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The Authors Guild and the Association of Authors' Representatives have filed a joint brief supporting publishers' calls for a preliminary injuction to stop their works being included in Audible's Captions programme. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-24 19:58:52 UTC ]
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The groups argue Audible should be required to "license the rights it seeks to exploit for its profit—just as others must—as required by copyright law and fundamental fairness.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Authors Guild director says that, if passed, the bill would provide an inexpensive way for creators to defend their copyrights. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-20 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Warsaw's cut in VAT rates on digital books takes effect November 1, a long-called-for equalization in taxation on print and ebooks, now allowed by Brussels. The post Poland Approves Reduction of Ebook VAT from 23 to 5 Percent appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-09-17 05:30:49 UTC ]
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How publishers’ increasingly restrictive e-book policies could undermine a key public library reference service. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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“ALA’s goal is to send a clear message to Macmillan CEO John Sargent,” said ALA executive director Mary Ghikas, announcing the launch of a national e-book advocacy campaign. "Libraries have millions of allies out there, and we’re inviting them to take action.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Among the week's headlines, sticker shock over S&S's new library e-book prices; ALA organizes a national campaign against Macmillan's e-book embargo; and what's the the future of school librarians? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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T M Logan's The Holiday (Zaffre) has jetted into the Weekly E-Ranking number one spot, displacing Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt (Picador) a week after the junior doctor memoir achieved the longest ever run in the chart top spot. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-29 14:51:37 UTC ]
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The Authors Guild is supporting the Association of American Publishers (AAP) as the organisation sues Amazon’s audiobook company Audible over a new speech-to-text feature. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-27 10:51:31 UTC ]
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In a message sent to library customers, Tom Mercer, senior v-p of digital products for Bibliotheca (formerly 3M), called out Amazon for its role in the increasingly contentious library e-book market. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-08-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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In the digitization of the textbook market, the Authors Guild's new statement sees unsettled business between a curriculum content company and writers. The post Authors Guild Says Cengage Failed to Renegotiate Contracts appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-08-24 02:53:49 UTC ]
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