Library E-book Pricing Fairness Amendment Act of 2025

Fairer e-book contracts for Washington library patrons

The law sets limits on DC Public Library contracts for e-books and digital audiobooks, including contracts with publisher aggregators. The bans start 60 days after the Library Board publishes a qualifying finding in the DC Register. That finding requires similar laws in at least 10 states, excluding D.C., totaling at least 50 million people. Population is measured using the most recent U.S. census taken every 10 years. The Library Director must report quarterly on similar state laws. Within 30 days after publication, the Director must notify the Council electronically and give the projected start date. Once the bans start, the Library cannot sign or renew contracts that prohibit lending, including loans between libraries. Contracts cannot combine loan-count caps with limited loan periods or cap license purchases when a title is publicly released. They cannot charge prices grossly out of line with a title’s value or market terms, or hide contract terms. Contract lengths cannot rule out commercially reasonable options, such as paying per use or ongoing public access. Contracts cannot make the whole agreement depend on prohibited terms or allow those terms to be enforced outside court. Reasonable technology protections and simultaneous-borrower limits remain allowed to prevent access beyond the contract period or improper sharing. The Library can offer subscription platforms, multi-patron events, and flat-fee collections available to patrons at the same time. Event and collection restrictions cannot extend to materials outside that event or collection. The law sets no specific price cap, household payment, or tax change.