UK Libraries Able To Lend CDs From Release Date Under New Six-Month Trial Agreement Between BPI And CILIP

Public libraries across the UK will be able to lend music CDs from the date they are made available for sale under a new six-month trial period agreed between recording industry trade body The BPI and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

The new licence arrangement, which commences on 1st January 2013, temporarily suspends an agreement which held back the availability of CDs to libraries for three months after their release date. Both parties will review the impact of the trial before the end of the six-month period.

Kiaron Whitehead, BPI General Counsel, said: “The arrangement demonstrates the flexibility of copyright. It enables public libraries to test the demand of customers to lend CDs at the same time they are released for sale.”

Phil Bradley, CILIP President said, “CILIP believes fiercely in the need for libraries to be able to give users exactly what they want. In a world where instant downloads, Spotify and streaming are the norm; we hope that this new agreement will help to do that. We will monitor this six-month trial closely, and if successful we hope to make it permanent”

Source: Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals