Libraries, Publishing, and Bookselling: Responses to Globe and Mail Op-Ed

August 8, 2020

On July 25, The Globe and Mail published an opinion piece by Kenneth Whyte, former National Post editor and current publisher of Sutherland House Books, where he blames the closing of independent bookstores and publishers’ financial troubles on public libraries.

Over the last few weeks, a number of individuals and organizations from the library and publishing community have responded.

Updated: September 17, 2020

July 25

Overdue: Throwing the Book at Libraries (Globe and Mail)
Kenneth Whyte

July 27

CULC/CBUC Response to Globe & Mail article
Canadian Urban Libraries Council

A last bastion of equality
Meera Nair

July 28

Libraries vs Bookstores? No, False dichotomy. They are different Animals
Brewster Kahle

Publisher Decries Damn Libraries Entertaining The Masses Stuck At Home For Free (Techdirt)
Mike Masnick

July 30

A Quarter-Billion Dollar Bag of Beans: Responding to Ken Whyte’s Attack on Library Book Loans
Michael Geist

July 31

Canadian Libraries Respond to ‘Globe and Mail’ Essay Attacking Public Libraries (Publishers Weekly)
Canadian Urban Libraries Council

ABPBC Statement on Libraries
Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia (ABPBC)

August 1

Letters to the Editor (Globe and Mail)

• Kate Edwards Executive director, Association of Canadian Publishers

August 2

Letters to the Editor (Globe and Mail)

August 6

BPAA Statement on Libraries
Book Publishers Association of Alberta (BPAA)

CFLA-FCAB Response to Globe and Mail Op-ed
Canadian Federation of Library Associations

August 7

The libraries strike back (ShuSH)
Kenneth Whyte

Small booksellers could take a page from libraries on adapting (London Free Press)
Robin Baranyai

August 8

Throwing the book at Ken Whyte — don’t blame libraries if your books aren’t selling
Rob Salerno

August 10

Are Libraries the Enemy of Authors and Publishers?
Hugh Stephens

August 11

Are Libraries Hurting Publishers?
Pages Unbound Reviews

August 26

APLA Response to Globe and Mail op-ed
Atlantic Provinces Library Association

September

Lend Me Your Ear: In defence of public libraries (Literary Review of Canada)
Stephen Abram

Background Material

Independent bookstores in Canada’s post-Covid cultural landscape (2020)
More Canada

Covid-19 and the challenge to chain retail bookstores in Canada’s cultural landscape (2020)
More Canada

Borrow, Buy, Read: Library Use and Book Buying in Canada (2019)
BookNet Canada

Public Lending Right (PLR) Program
Canada Council for the Arts