Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-327
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
MAY 28, 2026
‘ToamendAnActToestablishandprovideforthemaintenanceofa freepubliclibraryandreadingroomintheDistrictofColumbiatoprohibittheDistrictofColumbiaPublicLibraryfromenteringintoorrenewinglicensingagreementswithpublishersofelectronic
literarymaterialsthatrestrictDistrictresidents’accesstobooks.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmay be citedas the“LibraryE-Book LicensingFairnessAmendment Act of 2026”.
Sec.2.AnActToestablishandprovideforthemaintenanceofafreepubliclibraryandreadingroomintheDistrictofColumbia,approvedJune3,1896(29Stat.244;D.C.Officialamendedbyaddinganewsection18toreadasfollows:ionsonlicensingagreementsforelectronicmaterials.
“(a)Forpurposesofthissection,theterm:(1)“Aggregator”meansanypersoninthebusinessoflicensingaccesstoelectronicliterarymaterialcollectionsthatincludeelectronicliterarymaterialfrommultiple
publishers.
“(2)“Allaccesscollection”meanapre-packagedselectionofelectronicliterarymaterials,includingelectronicbooks,digitalaudiobooks,magazines,comics,andgraphicnovelsavailablesimultaneouslyforpatronusageforoneflatfee.“@3)“Borrower”meansapersonororganization,includinganotherlibrary,to
whomthelibraryloansmediaofanysort.“(4)“Digitalaudiobook”meansasoundrecordingofareadingofanyliterarymaterialthathasbeenconvertedintoorpublishedinadigitalaudiofilethatmaybelistenedto
onanelectronicdevice.“(5)“Electronicbook”meansatextdocumentthathasbeenconvertedintoorpublishedinadigitalformatthatmaybereadonanelectronicdevice.“(6)“Electronicliterarymaterial”meansanydigitalaudiobookorelectronic
book. “(7)“Library”meanstheDistrictofColumbiaPublicLibrary.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(8)“Loan” means thecreationand transmissionby alibrarytoa borrowerofa
copyofanyelectronicliterarymaterialandthelibrary’sremovaloftheborrower'saccesstothat
copyupon theexpirationoftheloanperiod.
“(9)“Loanperiod”meansthetimeperiodcommencingwiththelibrary’screation
and transmissionof a copy of any electronicliterarymaterialto a borrowerand concludingwith
thelibrary’sdeletionofthatcopy,
“(10)“Publisher”means any personinthebusinessof the manufacture,
promulgation,license,orsaleofbooks,audiobooks,journals,magazines,newspapers,orother
literarymaterials,includingthoseintheformofelectronicliterarymaterials,andincludesany
aggregatorwhoentersintoacontractwithanylibraryforthepurposeofprovidingmaterialsfor
purchaseorlicense.
#(11)“Subscription-basedliteraryplatform”meansanyplatformwhichcharges
‘usersarecurringfeetogainongoingaccesstoacollectionofliterarycontent,including
educationalmaterials,electronicbooks,digitalaudiobooks,andserializedstories.
“(12)“Technologicalprotectionmeasure”meansanytechnologythatenhances
thesecurityofloaningorcirculatingelectronicliterarymaterialsbya library.
*(b)Onceperquarter,theExecutiveDirectoroftheLibrary(“Director”)shallreportto
theBoard of LibraryTrustees(“Board”)whetherany stateshave enactedlaws substantially
similartothissection.IftheBoarddeterminesthata lawsubstantiallysimilartotheprovisions
of thissectionhas been enactedin 10 or more states,not includingtheDistrictof Columbia,and
theaggregatepopulationofsuchstatesequalstoatleast50millionpeople,asenumeratedinthe
most recentUnited Statesdecennialcensus,theBoard shalldirecttheDirectortopublishnotice
of theBoard'sdeterminationintheDistrictof Columbia Register(“Register”).
“(c)Notlaterthan30daysafterthepublicationintheRegisteroftheBoard’s
determinationunder subsection(b)of thissection,theDirectorshallelectronicallynotifythe
Councilof such determinationand thedatetherequirementsof subsection(4)of thissectionare
projectedtotakeeffect,
“(@)Beginningonthe60thdayafterpublicationintheRegisteroftheBoard’s
determinationunder subsection(b)ofthissection,theLibraryshallnotenterintoor renew any
contractwith a publisherthatlimitstheLibrary’sloaningofdigitalmaterialstoborrowers,
includinganyprovisionthat:
“(1)ProhibitstheLibraryfromloaninganyelectronicliterarymaterial,including
throughanyinterlibraryloansystem;
“(2)RestrictsthenumberoftimestheLibrarymayloananyelectronicliterary
materialoverthecourseofthe contractifsuch contractalsorestrictsthelibrary’sloanperiodfor
electroniclibrarymaterial;
“(3)LimitsthenumberofelectronicliterarymateriallicensestheLibrarymay
purchaseon thesame datesuch electronicliterarymaterialismade availableforpurchaseby the
public;
ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
“(4)RequirestheLibrarytoacquirelicensesforelectronicliterarymaterialsata
pricetheBoard findsto be unconscionabledue tothegrossdisparitybetween thepriceofthe
electronicliterarymaterialsoldor leasedand thevalueof an electronicliterarymaterial
measuredbythepriceatwhichasimilarelectronicliterarymaterialisreadilyobtainablein
transactionsbylikebuyers;
“(5)RestrictstheLibraryfrom disclosingthetermsof thecontractor license
agreementto any otherlibrary;
“(6)Restrictsthedurationofthecontractorlicenseagreementforelectronic
literarymaterialunlessthelibraryalsohastheoptionofa contractorlicenseagreementon
commerciallyreasonableterms inconsiderationof thelibrary’smissionthateither:
“(A)Isbasedona pay-per-usemodel;or
“(B)Providesfortheperpetualpublicuseoftheelectronicliterarymaterial;
“(7)Providesthatthecontractisnotseverablefromanyprovisionwithinsuch
contractthatisfoundtobeprohibitedbythissubsection;or
“(8)Allowstheenforcementofany oftheprovisionsprohibitedbythissubsection
otherthaninajudicialforum.
*(@)Subsection(d)ofthissectionshallnotbeconstruedtoprecludetheLibrary’s
entranceintoa contractwith a publisherthat:
“(1)Contains:
“(A)A limitationonthenumberofborrowerstheLibrarymayallowto
havesimultaneousaccesstoanyelectronicliterarymaterial;or
*(B)A provisionconcerningtheLibrary’sreasonableuseofany
technologicalprotectionmeasure thatpreventsa borrower from:
“()Maintainingaccesstoanyelectronicliterarymaterialbeyondtheaccessperiodspecifiedinthecontractor licenseagreement;or
“Gi)Providingotherborrowerswithaccesstoany electronic
literarymaterial;or
(2)Permits:
“(A)TheLibraryorDistricttoarrangeorparticipateinalocal,regional,
ornationwideeventthatrequiressimultaneousaccessbymultiplepatronstothesameelectronic
literarymaterial,providedthatthecontractdoesnotrestrictelectronicliterarymaterialotherthan
thematerialthatisthesubjectof theeventunder subsection(d)ofthis section;
“(B)TheLibrarytoprovidepatronaccesstoasubscription-basedliterary
platform;or
“(C)TheLibrarytoprovideelectronicliterarymaterialsviaanall-access
collectionofmaterials;provided,thatthecontractdoes not restrictelectronicliterarymaterial
outsideof theall-accesscollectionunder subsection(d)of thissection.”.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscal
impactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,
approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectafterapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-206.02()(1)).
Le)Mowe —Chairman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
DistrictofColumbiaAPPROVED
May 28, 2026
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA,
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
DockstNo,826-0490
[XJITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XTACTION. FirstReading,CC
[DaVOTEDATE March31,2026
{X]VOICEVOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE~Result
Counc!Member __[Aye'|Nay|NV[As|Rec|Counct!Member[AyeNayNV [AB|Rec|CouncttMember[Aye|Nay|NV [AB[Reo|
ChairmanMendelsonX Frumin x Pinto x
Alen x Henderson x R.wnite x
Bonds x LewisGeorge_| x T.White x
Crawford x Nadeau x
Felder x Parker x
X-IndicateVote ‘AB~Absent NV-Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
CDW
‘SecretarytotheCouncil Date
DocketNo,826-0490
[X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XTACTION FinalReading,CC
DX1VOTEDATE, May5,2026
[x]VOICEVOTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ASSENT .
[JROLLCALLVOTE—Result
CouncilMember. ‘Aye| Nay |NV_|.AB| Rec| CouncilMember_| Aye| Nay|NV_|-AB | Rec |CouncilMember | Aye| Nay |NV“|AB | Rec
ChairmanMendetso>|x Frunin x Pinto
‘Alen x Henderson| X R.White
Bonds x LowsGoowe_| x Tete
Crawiors x Nadeau x
Fotler x Parker x
X-tndieateVote AB Absent ‘ NV--Present,NotVoting _ Ree+Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
cx 10theCound 42