1. National Library Strategy 2015-2018
Photo: Wenche Nybø, Ministry of Culture

2. Strategy measure no. 12
The National Library will recommend a model for the purchase and lending of e-books in dialogue with the Norwegian Publishers Association and other relevant actors

3. Background The Official Norwegian Report on cultural policy from 2013
Departure from traditional model for handling other media and technical solutions in Norwegian public libraries.
Political platform (2013): “The Government will prepare the libraries for the digital world in a way that does not undermine the ability of those whose livelihood stems from the culture industry to generate their income from their activities.”

4. Strategy:
“A recommended model will not be binding for the purchase and sale of e-books. (…) The model may be a recommendation linked to the terms and conditions for purchase and lending, while prices will continue to be negotiated between purchaser and publisher.”

5. Purchasing schemes for Norwegian literature
Established in 1965 and operated by Art Council Norway
The public libraries receive more than 500 new Norwegian titles every single year free.
Represents on average around 30 per cent of the acquisition of books.

6. Purchasing schemes for Norwegian literature – purpose and effects
The purpose is to ensure an increased production of fiction in Norwegian
Authors are better paid for their books through the sale of more copies
Publishers are able to take the risk of publishing books by unknown authors thanks to a guaranteed minimum sale
Libraries can make a full year of new Norwegian fiction available for free loan to all readers
Different purchasing schemes for various types of literature

7. Purchasing schemes for Norwegian literature – e-books
In 2014 e-books became part of the scheme
The Arts Council buys 700 paper and 70 e-books licenses of each title, and distributes these according to a distribution key
E-books can be freely borrowed across municipal boundaries and within county boundaries

8. Model for e-books in public libraries - objectives
Give the public better access to e-books
Offer a broad range of literature, not primarily bestsellers
Maintain balance between libraries and the market

9. Model for e-books in public libraries – license period
license period of 2 years
10 loans on each license
Only one loan at a time
Loans registered when 20 per cent of the book is opened
Culture Fund books in 2-year license period with unlimited loans

10. Model for e-books in public libraries – click model
Click model with payment per loan after two years
All books which the library has bought or received in the license period should be available in theclick model
All paper and e-books bought through Cultural Fund should be available to everyone in the click model

11. Model for e-books in public libraries - pricing
Price per click should be no more than 10 per cent of suggested sale price for the e-book
For e-books bought by the cultural fund no more than 5 per cent
The libraries choose themselves what kind of ‘friction’ they want
Trial period – evaluation after one and three years

12. Further process
Discussions
Observations
Evaluations