Update on the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Since late-March, it has been immensely gratifying to see the outpouring of interest for the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program from educators and librarians.

We have received hundreds of requests to share the works of Canadian creators and publishers with students through “online story-time” as schools and libraries needed to shift to remote learning because of COVID-19.

In total, 46 publishers and hundreds of creators have generously waived licence fees for the use of some or all of their published works through the Program.

With the June 30 end date for the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program approaching, some of the urgency that led to the creation of the Program has abated, but it’s clear that an ongoing need remains as we continue to navigate these uncharted times.

As a result, we are making the Program available as a complimentary add-on to the Access Copyright licence at licensed K-12 and independent schools, as well as licensed public libraries, from July 1 to December 31, 2020.

Canadian creators and publishers continue to be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. They have seen book tours cancelled, unsold books returned, bookstores shuttered and earning opportunities disappear or indefinitely postponed.

The easiest way to ensure creators and publishers are compensated for use of their works is through the Access Copyright licence. It empowers educators and librarians to share, within certain limits, millions of published works with students, while ensuring that creators and publishers are fairly paid when their works are used so that they can continue to create the stories that inform, entertain and inspire us.

We are pleased to continue to offer the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program from July 1 to December 31, 2020 to educational institutions and public libraries that are licensed by Access Copyright, so that students can continue to be delighted by video recordings of readings of Canadian stories.

If you have any question about the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program, please contact us anytime at permissions@accesscopyright.ca.