Several authors, including some currently signed with HarperCollins, have joined a petition launched by librarian Andy Woodruff protesting the publisher’s decision to limit library eBooks to 26 check-outs.
Change.org reports that HarperCollins author Marilyn Johnson wrote about her disdain in a blog post: “HarperCollins says it is working to protect its authors, but I wasn’t consulted and I had to read about this on Library Journal and on the blogs and tweets of my librarian sources. This isn’t what I want, e-books with evaporating powers! Are you kidding? No author wants to write a book with the power to disappear.”
According to the article, Cory Doctorow, Judith McQuown, and Orel Protopopescu have signed the petition. So far, Woodruff’s petition has drawn more than 65,700 signatures.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post erroneously stated that authors Marilyn Johnson had signed the petition.