Matt Tempelis

Penguin Group and electronic-book distributor 3M have made a deal with two New York City public library systems that will return Penguin e-books to library shelves for a one-year pilot. If successful at the New York Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library—two of the country's largest library systems—Penguin said it could offer similar deals to libraries across the U.S., including school and university libraries. And the deal could prompt other major publishers that currently don't sell e-books to libraries to soften their stances, said Matt Tempelis, global business manager for the 3M Cloud Library.

Hachette, which has not made new e-books available to libraries since 2010, is reconsidering the idea. In a pilot program starting this spring (which is?now?), the publisher is working with two e-book distributors to bring a ?selection of HBG?s recent bestselling e-books to 7 million library patrons.? Hachette would not confirm which distributors or libraries it is working with ? whether it is partnering with leading digital distributor OverDrive and/or with an OverDrive competitor like 3M Cloud Library or Baker & Taylor?s Axis 360. ?These pilot programs will help us learn more about library patrons? interests, usage, and expectations,?