Penguin ebooks pulled from local libraries

CEDAR RAPIDS - A decision by publisher Penguin to suspend e-book library loans of its books is affecting several local libraries.

All local libraries using the Overdrive system to lend e-books no longer have access to digital versions of new Penguin releases. That includes all of the libraries in the Cedar Rapids Metro Library Network as well as the Iowa City and Coralville public libraries.

Penguin also no longer allows existing library books to be lent to cardholders using the Amazon Kindle e-reader. Existing titles for all other platforms are unaffected.

Local libraries received no advance notice of the change, which went into effect Tuesday, said Amber Mussman, a spokeswoman for the Cedar Rapids Public Library.

“They say they're suspending the program, but we have no way to know what that means,” she said.

The Iowa City Public Library posted a notice on its Facebook page that if anyone had a hold on the Kindle version of a Penguin e-book, it was no longer available.

Penguin cited concerns over the security of the e-book lending process as the reason for suspending the lending program.