Libraries Connected has secured £65,770 from Arts Council England to run a national programme improving how public libraries and independent publishers work together on ebooks. The work comes during the National Year of Reading and will tackle gaps in ebook access, including areas where demand is rising quickly, such as manga and graphic novels.

Ebook lending is widely available in UK public libraries, but high costs and time-limited licensing have restricted access. An earlier Libraries Connected project, also funded by the Arts Council, piloted alternative licensing models and found prolific borrowers are also heavy book buyers, highlighting opportunities for more flexible terms and closer collaboration between libraries and publishers. It also revealed that the complexity of ebook lending can make it difficult for independent publishers to navigate.

This new programme will build on that work by focusing on practical solutions - creating simple structures for libraries and independent publishers to connect and helping smaller presses understand how ebook lending works in practice.

As part of the project, Libraries Connected will look in depth at manga and graphic novels, which are among the most popular items borrowed from libraries, especially by children and young people. Researchers will explore how widely these titles are available as ebooks, how licensing and pricing work, and which publishers are active in the UK. The aim is to develop practical recommendations that improve access for readers while supporting sustainable models for publishers.

Alongside this, Libraries Connected will continue working with medium and large publishers to discuss ebook policies, pricing and how to build on the progress from earlier work.

Light-touch research will continue throughout the programme to make sure that the experience of libraries and evidence from across the sector shape discussions with publishers and partners.

The project will be led by Emma House, founder of global publishing consultants Oreham Group and former deputy CEO of the Publishers Association, with a national reference group including the Booksellers Association, British Library, The Reading Agency, The Publishers Association, the Society of Authors and CILIP.

Isobel Hunter MBE, Chief Executive of Libraries Connected, said:

“Our previous work on elending has shown that wider access to ebooks in libraries can revolutionise the promotion of reading. This new project will focus on building stronger relationships with publishers, especially indies and small presses, which are essential if ebook lending is going to work better for readers, libraries and the book trade. This funding gives us the opportunity to focus on those relationships and on practical solutions.”

Luke Burton, Director Libraries, Arts Council England said:

"We’re pleased to have supported this project which builds on previous work across the sector and aims to further improve how libraries and publishers, especially independent and small publishers, can work together more effectively. We know that access to diverse and representative collections is important for libraries and that there is more work needed to understand the availability of, and access to, digital content including eBooks and beyond."