Thread by @Knowledge21org

Excellent article on the Wiley #ebook scandal. #ebookSOS 🧵👇
It concludes that Wiley targeted the most widely used textbooks, removed them from sale to libraries, in order to give access only through platforms that target students directly. 1/
library.gwu.edu/Wiley-ebook-re…

This puts the financial burden on students who must decide whether to buy the eBook or not. The university is denied the opportunity to support students and means it cannot provide an equitable learning environment for all.2/

By licensing and using DRMs, publishers as we see here can chop and change provision literally overnight as directed by their sales team. Technology and licensing allows microtargetting of any market segmentation, for any period, and any place. 3/

This undermines individual student and library budgets,course planning, learning, and provision across different courses. It increases costs for universities.This all strikes at the heart at what it means to be a modern university, maximising the benefits of e 4/

to support teaching and research.
At KR21 we believe that in order to combat the further erosion and market-driven microslicing of knowledge:
a)Libraries must through copyright law be allowed to digitise and lend paper books on an owned to loaned ratio. knowledgerights21.org/resources/
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b) Alongside journals, Library Associations should engage also on eBook issues, gather evidence and engage with policy makers and student representatives.
c) Funders should increase funding for Open Educational Resources and Open Books.