Digital Books in Polish Public Libraries: Case Study of Partnership with the Commercial Distributor Legimi

Abstract

This article outlines a case study of the partnership between Polish public libraries and Legimi, a commercial distributor of digital books operating on both the trade book and library markets. Legimi and representatives of the libraries were interviewed in order to examine the reasons why libraries contract with commercial actors, the extent to which these services are used, the rationale for selecting the billing models, and which funding sources support libraries in this regard. Arrangements for Legimi’s services are negotiated mainly through library consortia. Currently, approximately 42% of all libraries in Poland provide digital books through Legimi.