Ellibs Ltd has been chosen as the provider of Finnish e- and audiobooks for E-library, to be opened in April 2024.

Upcoming E-library materials will be ordered through the material providers, who are also responsible for material protection, logistics and sales reporting to the publishers they represent.

Ellibs has been involved in producing digital services for library customers right from the start over 10 years ago.

“Ellibs is a longstanding partner of libraries with experience in serving their needs and customers, as well as the desire to meet those needs in a flexible manner. I look forward to our collaboration,” says Head of Services Annastiina Louhisalmi from E-library.

The material providers for E-library were chosen through a competitive tendering process, where the materials were divided into four categories: Finnish e- and audiobooks, e- and audiobooks published outside of Finland, English and other language e- and audiobooks, and digital periodicals. One provider was sought for each category, and Ellibs won the tender for Finnish e- and audiobooks. Information about the other categories will be provided later.

“We are very pleased to be involved in building a new national service that provides a sustainable and effective way to offer diverse materials to different kinds of readers. We have extensive experience in distributing digital materials and working together with libraries, and I believe that this experience will benefit the upcoming service. Our new distribution platform provides the conditions needed to develop the operations whilst paying attention to the needs of libraries and copyright holders,” says the CEO of Ellibs, Juha Tarvainen.

E-library has been developed in the e-library project launched in 2022 and coordinated by the Helsinki City Library, in close collaboration with public libraries to meet their wishes. At the start of 2024, the development and maintenance of the service was transferred to the new E-library unit of the National Library of Finland.