Kindle lending library causes trouble

Kindle lending library causes trouble NEWS

Share this

Amazon's new Kindle lending library a breach of contract, according to US authors and publishers, with the Authors Guild saying the online retailer is using 'brute economic power' to get what they want.

Amazon has been accused of 'boldly breaching its contracts' with publishers by the Authors Guild, who are up in arms about the online retailer's new reading service.

An Amazon Prime membership, costing $79 a year, allows American customers the option to borrow one ebook a month with no due dates and no extra costs. It is a recent venture which is sure to come to Britain if it shows promise.

There are over 5,000 titles available and Amazon announced the books come from publishers under a 'variety' of terms. Amazon is said to be purchasing the title under standard wholesale terms each time it is borrowed 'as a no-risk trial to demonstrate to publishers the incremental growth and revenue opportunity that this new service presents'.

Amazon has been accused of launching the service to drive sales of the latest Kindle model, following an 'unexpected ebook device battle' with companies such as Apple and Barns & Noble.

Literary agents are not the only ones to condemn the service, with the Association of Author's Representatives (AAR) stating 'it is difficult to see how this programme is in the best interests of our clients'.

'Amazon knows it can largely dictate terms to non-Big Six publishers, and it badly wanted to launch this programme with some notable titles.' said the Authors Guild, claiming that the six largest US trade publishers Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Macmillian, Penguin and Harchette refused to allow their publications be part of the lending library: 'No matter. Amazon simply disregarded these publishers' wishes, and enrolled many of their titles in the programme anyway.'

Publishers have also been accused of allowing books into the scheme without prior permission of authors.