Libraries and representatives of scholarly societies and educational groups encourage publishers to increase the amount of copyrighted material available in digital-only format. Another option is for publishers to develop and offer a comprehensive database that includes digital-only materials from multiple publishers. Publishers should provide librarians and library users no-fee access to this comprehensive database using a widely and freely available search engine, such as the Web. However, it is recognized that payment may be required for copies of the digital documents. Publishers' use of Z39.50 and other national and international technical standards will enable publishers to provide transparent links to this comprehensive database through libraries' local online catalogs, library utilities, union catalogs, or similar online sources.
Libraries have an interest in acquiring and accessing materials in a cost-effective manner.
The library and educator community have reaffirmed that if royalties are due for ILL or document delivery copying, royalties should be paid. The copyright proprietor community should not care whether royalties are paid by the library that makes the copies or the recipient of the copies. Section 108 permits libraries to make copies for their own users and for users in other libraries under certain conditions. This is an accepted use. If the fees for photocopying are beyond reasonable cost recovery, the library is profiting, and thus is no longer eligible for Section 108 exemptions for that activity.