Librarian in Black Blog – Sarah Houghton

Check out this Library Journal article about Freegal Music Service.  This is a downloadable music service without DRM (digital rights management).  The music is only Sony music (which includes 50 or so labels), so keep that in mind.  The biggest caveat, however, is that the service is limited to 20 downloads per week per person, and works with many different devices (because it’s DRM-free).  How else do you think they got the music companies to agree to offer DRM-free downloads?

I have concerns, fears, and reservations.  All of that being said, I’m still excited to see how this pans out.  DRM-free is the only way that downloadable music will work in libraries.  Like many other libraries, we tried Overdrive’s eMusic service and found that NO ONE USED IT.  No one.  Not even staff.  Downloading music that you get to access for 3 weeks only is not how people think of music.  People want music to persist, to be on their digital shelves.  And that’s why I think this new service might just have a chance.