The book industry needs to get its act together: Petition to boycott HarperCollins
4 May 2011

The book industry needs to get its act together. Pitched battles between publishers and librarians are not going to help anyone survive the digital revolution. A case in point is the “Boycott HarperCollins” petition posted on the social activism website Change.org.


The email I got yesterday introduces librarian Andy Woodworth, who is using Change.org to help “lead the charge in a fight against NewsCorp":


“See, more and more libraries are beginning to buy e-books… But publishing giant HarperCollins (owned by NewsCorp) is trying to force libraries to only buy e-books that literally self-destruct after the 26th reader in an attempt to maximize profits."


Change.org is hoping for 100,000 signatures. By 9 a.m. this morning, over 50,000 had signed.

Linda Leith

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