Models for E-Book ILL

E-Book ILL is non-monolithic practice and has a number of approaches depending on the systems used to facilitate loans and file management restrictions depending on the access model. The chart below provides a brief comparison of current approaches to the practice, the nuances that distinguish their execution, differentiation between e-book ILL and CDL, and links to appropriate portions of toolkit:

A lock that is unlocked on the right side.
DRM-Free E-Book ILL
(Digital Non-Returnable)

What is shared?: A whole, legally acquired, digital born e-book.

How is it shared?: DRM-free PDF is shared electronically in a one-way transaction.

What’s the loan period?: None, user has unlimited access to the resource.

Is license negotiation required?: Yes
A key with vector lines extending from the cuts and bitting.
DRM E-Book ILL
(Digital Returnable)

What is shared?: A whole, legally acquired, digital born e-book.

How is it shared?: Electronically via tokenized access link or DRM viewer.

What’s the loan period?: Limited to a short duration.

Is license negotiation required?: Depends whether the e-book is licensed or owned.

An opened book appearing on a desktop computer screen.
Controlled Digital Lending
(Not E-Book ILL!)

What is shared?: A digitized surrogate of a whole, legally acquired print book.

How is it shared?: Electronically via tokenized access link or DRM viewer. No access to print copy during digital loan period.

What’s the loan period?: Limited to a short duration.

Is license negotiation required?: No. Print origin of resources applies different rules to how they can be shared, but legality varies depending on approach/parameters. 

CC BY-NA-SA license: Creative Commons license icon with symbols representing "Attribution" (a person icon), "NonCommercial" (a crossed-out dollar sign), and "ShareAlike" (a circular arrow). This indicates the work can be shared and adapted with credit, for non-commercial purposes only, and must be distributed under the same license.

This toolkit is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 License.