Who Can Get Your Book?

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Petition: The public should be allowed to own and preserve ALL books—no matter what format they’re published in!

If a person or a library is forbidden from owning a digital book, there's nothing to stop major publishers from altering or erasing books from existence. In an increasingly digital world, Big Tech, Content, and Media monopolies are trying to end the right to own digital books. Through restrictive licensing schemes on ebooks and audiobooks, they aren’t only price-gouging public schools, libraries, and customers—they’re making a play to control what books exist in the future. 

Monopolistic corporations like Amazon and News Corp are intent on polluting and controlling the information ecosystem in the United States. We have already experienced the disastrous results of a world in which these mega corporations put their thumb on the scales of truth and history, and now they are focusing on a new target: our ability to own and preserve knowledge.

These restrictions harm authors as well. Despite record profits in these industries, author payments are under threat. Digital copies of emerging voices cost so much that many libraries aren’t even licensing them, if they are offered at all. The current system benefits mega-corporations at the expense of taxpayers, authors, and the public good.

Sign the petition to demand that legislators protect the freedom to own and preserve books, whatever format they are released in!

Have you written a book? Take the quiz to learn who can get it.

This website is intended as a thought project on who needs to be considered when we talk about access and availability.

So, who can get your book?

Take the quiz  to find out who can get your book

This quiz is anonymous and does not collect data or images from those who use it.

Book Formats & Accessibility

When we talk about accessibility on this page, we are expanding the term to include equity for disabled readers as well as for anyone who faces challenges that alternate formats help them overcome.

• Paper Books

  Paper books are the most widely available format. Public institutions are able to buy and lend paper books with a minimum of restrictions. They best serve readers who have access to the money or transportation required to get them. They also often serve readers without access to technology. For decades librarians and disability service offices at universities have gone to heroic lengths to convert paper books to accessible formats for people with qualifying disabilities, but equitable access isn’t achievable through this work alone.

• Ebooks

  Ebooks are an important format for accessibility. Ebooks can serve disabled readers, including readers with reading differences such as dyslexia or those for whom paper books are difficult to hold. When they are not formatted and coded correctly, for instance as a book scan or image-based pdf, ebooks remain unusable for many with reading differences. They also serve low income and rural readers by being available without requiring transportation. Ebooks are less available via public institutions because they are often offered via licensing agreements that are more expensive and restrictive than paper books. Indie booksellers often struggle to offer ebooks due to restrictive licensing agreements. Ebooks that are restricted to a service like Kindle that collects vast troves of data on readers may be inaccessible to people in authoritarian countries.

• Audiobooks

  Audiobooks are an important format for accessibility. They serve disabled readers, illiterate readers, and readers who have less leisure time. They also serve low income and rural readers by being available without requiring transportation. Despite the National Library Service’s fantastic Talking Books program, audiobooks are less available via public institutions because they are often offered via licensing agreements that are more expensive and restrictive than paper books. Indie booksellers often struggle to offer audiobooks due to restrictive licensing agreements. Amazon/Audible exclusives on audiobooks may make them inaccessible to readers in authoritarian countries, regardless of income.

How accessible and available are specific books in the US?

Caffeine

By:  Michael Pollan

Publisher:  Audible

WhoCanGetYourBook.com

Accessibility & Availability:

Grade:  F

Public Libraries

• paper
  This format is unavailable, especially for library patrons who lack access to technology.

  This format is unavailable.
• ebook
  Readers with disabilities or barriers to access who rely on libraries cannot access this book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand for ebooks and awareness of equity issues, your ebook is unavailable to public libraries.
• audio
  Readers with disabilities or barriers to access who rely on libraries cannot access this book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand, and awareness of equity issues, your audiobook is unavailable to public libraries.

Public Schools

• paper
  This format is unavailable, especially for kids who lack access to technology.

  This format is unavailable.
• ebook
  Kids with disabilities or barriers to access who rely on schools cannot access this book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand for ebooks and awareness of equity issues, your ebook is unavailable to public schools.
• audio
  Kids with disabilities or barriers to access who rely on schools cannot access this book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand and awareness of equity issues, your audiobook is unavailable to public schools.

Independent Booksellers

• paper
  This format is unavailable.

  This format is unavailable.
• ebook
  Readers cannot support indie booksellers if they want your book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand for ebooks and the struggles of indie sellers, your ebook is unavailable for them to sell.
• audio
  Readers cannot support indie booksellers if they want your book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand for audiobooks and the struggles of indie sellers, your audiobook is unavailable for them to sell.

Born A Crime

By:  Trevor Noah

Publisher:  One World / Penguin Random House

WhoCanGetYourBook.com

Accessibility & Availability:

Grade:  D

Public Libraries

• paper
  Looking good, however paper books are most usable for people with disposable income and/or easy transport to the library.

  Great. In general, libraries can most easily afford and access paper books.
• ebook
  Looking good! Ebooks are a more usable format for people with blindness and dyslexia as well as rural people.

  Darn. Libraries will have to spend a lot of taxpayer money or submit to severe licensing restrictions if they want to offer this ebook.
• audio
  Readers with disabilities or barriers to access who rely on libraries cannot access this book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand, and awareness of equity issues, your audiobook is unavailable to public libraries.

Public Schools

• paper
  Looking good, however paper books are most usable for kids learning in-person, without disabilities—and they are heavy.

  Great. Usually, public schools can most easily afford paper books— especially because they can be reused again and again.
• ebook
  Looking good! Ebooks are a more usable format for kids with blindness and dyslexia as well as distance learners.

  Darn. Schools will have to spend a lot of taxpayer money or submit to severe licensing restrictions if they want to offer this ebook.
• audio
  Kids with disabilities or barriers to access who rely on schools cannot access this book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand and awareness of equity issues, your audiobook is unavailable to public schools.

Independent Booksellers

• paper
  Looking good!

  This format can be purchased and owned at an affordable cost.
• ebook
  People are buying books online & don't want to wait for shipping, so they're buying ebooks. They can support indies with yours!

  This format is available at a steep cost, or with severe licensing restrictions that make it difficult for indies to offer.
• audio
  Readers cannot support indie booksellers if they want your book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand for audiobooks and the struggles of indie sellers, your audiobook is unavailable for them to sell.

The Diary of a Young Girl

By:  Anne Frank

Publisher:  Bantam / Penguin Random House

WhoCanGetYourBook.com

Accessibility & Availability:

Grade:  B

Public Libraries

• paper
  Looking good, however paper books are most usable for people with disposable income and/or easy transport to the library.

  Great. In general, libraries can most easily afford and access paper books.
• ebook
  Looking good! Ebooks are a more usable format for people with blindness and dyslexia as well as rural people.

  Darn. Libraries will have to spend a lot of taxpayer money or submit to severe licensing restrictions if they want to offer this ebook.
• audio
  Great! Audiobooks are more usable for people with blindness and dyslexia as well as rural & illiterate people.

  Darn. Libraries will have to spend a lot of taxpayer money or submit to severe licensing restrictions if they want to offer this audiobook.

Public Schools

• paper
  Looking good, however paper books are most usable for kids learning in-person, without disabilities—and they are heavy.

  Great. Usually, public schools can most easily afford paper books— especially because they can be reused again and again.
• ebook
  Looking good! Ebooks are a more usable format for kids with blindness and dyslexia as well as distance learners.

  Darn. Schools will have to spend a lot of taxpayer money or submit to severe licensing restrictions if they want to offer this ebook.
• audio
  Awesome! Audiobooks aren't often offered to public schools, despite how helpful they could be for disabled kids.

  Darn. Schools will have to spend a lot of taxpayer money or submit to severe licensing restrictions if they want to offer this audiobook.

Independent Booksellers

• paper
  Looking good!

  This format can be purchased and owned at an affordable cost.
• ebook
  People are buying books online & don't want to wait for shipping, so they're buying ebooks. They can support indies with yours!

  This format is available at a steep cost, or with severe licensing restrictions that make it difficult for indies to offer.
• audio
  People are buying books online & don't want to wait for shipping, so they're buying audiobooks. They can support indies with yours!

  This format is available—but perhaps at a steep cost, or with severe licensing restrictions.

Pictures of a Gone City

By:  Richard A. Walker

Publisher:  PM Press

WhoCanGetYourBook.com

Accessibility & Availability:

Grade:  C

Public Libraries

• paper
  Looking good, however paper books are most usable for people with disposable income and/or easy transport to the library.

  Great. In general, libraries can most easily afford and access paper books.
• ebook
  Looking good! Ebooks are a more usable format for people with blindness and dyslexia as well as rural people.

  Nice! Libraries often have trouble getting affordable ebooks, but not for this book.
• audio
  Readers with disabilities or barriers to access who rely on libraries cannot access this book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand, and awareness of equity issues, your audiobook is unavailable to public libraries.

Public Schools

• paper
  Looking good, however paper books are most usable for kids learning in-person, without disabilities—and they are heavy.

  Great. Usually, public schools can most easily afford paper books— especially because they can be reused again and again.
• ebook
  Looking good! Ebooks are a more usable format for kids with blindness and dyslexia as well as distance learners.

  Nice. Public school libraries sometimes have to blow their budgets on ebooks, but yours isn't part of the problem!
• audio
  Kids with disabilities or barriers to access who rely on schools cannot access this book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand and awareness of equity issues, your audiobook is unavailable to public schools.

Independent Booksellers

• paper
  Looking good!

  This format can be purchased and owned at an affordable cost.
• ebook
  People are buying books online & don't want to wait for shipping, so they're buying ebooks. They can support indies with yours!

  As more bookselling moves online, ebooks are an important offering for indie booksellers. They can sell your book! Nice.
• audio
  Readers cannot support indie booksellers if they want your book in this format, perhaps due to an exclusive.

  Despite growing demand for audiobooks and the struggles of indie sellers, your audiobook is unavailable for them to sell.

Learn more about barriers to equity for readers

Accessibility, usability, availability, and affordability are all essential considerations in equitable access to human knowledge. Below are additional resources to learn more about the complex barriers readers face.

• The Diary of Anne Frank ebook costs $27/year per public school student
• Inside the ebook war raging between libraries and publishers
• Library ebook use rose in 2020—along with publisher profits
• 90-day audiobook embargoes prompt libraries to boycott
• Disability rights & access to the digital world
• Amazon Kindle data collection

About this project

This website was created by digital rights organization Fight for the Future, a group of artists and activists that believes access to human knowledge is a human right and that accessible books should be available and affordable regardless of format. This project aims to make accessibility and availability a bit more tangible by simplifying and generalizing publishing contract language and impacts. Publishing by its nature is extremely complex. The goal of this website is to quantify and present some of the most important and overlooked equity considerations for readers and important institutions, not to be a definitive resource. Should you have any questions or concerns please contact [email protected].