Dear Insert Name of Author Or Agent

[[USE LIBRARY LETTERHEAD]]

Dear [insert name of author or agent],

Did you know that many e-books are not available to libraries at any price?

Of the ones we can buy, the library price often is 150-500% more than the consumer price, resulting in fewer copies for library readers to discover. Access to authors’ work through libraries is dramatically restricted—hurting discovery, reading choice, literacy and the simple love of reading. We understand new pricing models are evolving, but seek reasonable prices and terms that support author compensation and reader access.

Libraries help authors through:

• Exposure. Libraries help people find you. Readers discover new authors, topics, and genres in our libraries.Libraries help authors get noticed: we host you at author events; we feature your books at book clubs; and we spotlight your titles on our websites and in-library displays.
• Sales. Research shows that our loans encourage people to buy your books. Additionally, many libraries now provide an option for people to click and “buy-it-now” from our websites.
• Respect. Libraries honor your work. We protect copyright, and we pay for what we use. We want you to keep writing, and make a living at it.
• Literacy and love of reading. Libraries help grow readers – and writers. Library lending promotes literacy, exploration, creativity, and innovation.

For all of these reasons, and more, we believe you have a deep stake in supporting library lending of e-books. Librarians have opened dialogues with major publishers, author and publisher associations, content distributors and even literary agents to craft balanced and sustainable solutions in the digital age.

Libraries and your readers need your help.

1. Join Authors for Library Ebooks, an advocacy campaign to ensure all people have access to the world’s knowledge and literature through our nation’s libraries—regardless of format.
2. Talk to your publisher. Encourage them to make all of their titles available for sale to libraries.
3. Talk to your fellow authors. Ask them what's going on with their e-books at libraries. Tell them what you've learned.
4. Blog, tweet, email and publicly share your support for library e-lending. Share your work and your thoughts with the American Library Association (ALA) at .

Thank you for your work and for supporting libraries and a nation of readers. More information and resources are available at We hope you will join us in supporting equitable access to digital content through libraries.

Sincerely,

[[insert NAME,

TITLE of library director, trustee, etc.]]