Last week, Q&Q posted part of an open letter from author D.C. Reid about a new pilot program, known as B.C. Books Online, currently underway at a dozen of the province’s libraries. Supporters of the project, which allows library patrons to access free e-books of 650 backlist titles from B.C. publishers, believe it is a step forward into the digital future. However, Reid argued that authors’ electronic rights were being unfairly trammelled.

Now, the consortium of publishers, librarians, and educators involved in the project have written a rebuttal addressing some of Reid’s misconceptions, pointing out that all of the titles involved in the project have been cleared through their publishers and that downloaded copies cannot be transferred to non-library patrons. The consortium also assures Reid, and any other authors involved in the project, that they will be fairly compensated for their work according to their publishers’ contracts.

Contrary to your assertion that everyone is being paid but the authors, the consortium consists of volunteers from the library and publishing community, none of whom has received any government or other payment for their work on the project. Seed monies contributed from several of the consortium organizations have allowed us to hire a part-time project manager; to provide information to the community on our project through brochures, a website, and the media; and to pay the platform access fees to ebrary on behalf of participating beta libraries.

We are undertaking this considerable legacy project because we believe there are opportunities for publishers, libraries, and authors in e-book collections, not to mention value to the reading public. This should be good news for all B.C. writers.

Keep checking back for a link to the complete text of the B.C. Books Online consortium’s open letter. [Note: the complete letter can be read here.]