Ebook Research: Narrative Perspectives
A comprehensive narrative history of ebook licensing, library access, and market consolidation. Anchored in Steve Potash's OverDrive testimony, this research explores the same events from multiple perspectives. Choose your entry point below.
Choose Your Path
For Librarians & Advocates
The Librarian's Trap
How libraries lost purchasing power through digital licensing, from First Sale Doctrine to vendor lock-in. Includes alternatives that failed and succeeded.
For Authors & Publishers
The Publisher's Play
Why publishers restricted library access, how consolidation gave them leverage, and where indie authors fit in the ecosystem.
For Policymakers & Advocates
The Policymaker's Playbook
Why copyright law fails to protect public access, where state laws failed, and what Congress could actually do.
For Everyone
The Full Story
The complete narrative with all three perspectives woven together, deeper background on key figures, and economic data.
Browse All Research
The Contract Traps
The $17,000 Tax You Don't Have To Pay
The Cat's Outta The Bag
Build Your Own Damn Supply Chain
How a Library Solution Became a Monopoly
Steve Potash's Masterclass in Corporate Bullshit
How Library Ebook Pricing Actually Works
The Hidden Cost of Digital Lending
55 Years of Digital Content in Libraries
The Internet Archive Lost Its Lawsuit
What It Means for AI and Your Library
Your Digital Collections Are Training AI
No posts match that filter. Try another tag or choose All.
How This Is Organized
Each narrative path covers the same history but from a different perspective. They overlap, but each one tells a complete story. Here's what to expect:
- The Librarian's Trap: Agency erosion, vendor lock-in, and what libraries can do about it.
- The Publisher's Play: Market control, consolidation strategy, and why publishers made these choices.
- The Policymaker's Playbook: Legal analysis, failed solutions, and actionable policy recommendations.
- The Full Story: All three perspectives integrated with deeper analysis, key figures, and complete context.
Not sure where to start? If you only have 20 minutes, pick the path that matches your role. If you have time, "The Full Story" gives you the complete picture.