Changes to the Public and Educational Lending Right schemes will see more than $26 million on its way to Australian authors, including payments for the first time for audiobooks and ebooks.

An outstretched hand from the right is pulling an ipad from a bookshelf on the left

More than 18,000 payments will be made to Australian creators and publishers including authors, illustrators, editors, translators and compilers with changes to the Public and Educational Lending Right schemes.

Total payments of more than $26 million this financial year represent an increase of $3.38 million over 2022-23 payments.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Public Lending Right scheme, introduced by the Australian Government in 1974 as a way to ensure book creators and publishers are appropriately compensated for the free use of their works in libraries.

In line with a commitment under Revive, the National Cultural Policy, the Government last year expanded the scheme to include ebooks and audiobooks, reflecting the changing ways Australians engage with literature.

The Government has also recently introduced legislation to Parliament to establish Writing Australia, to be introduced in 2025, which will strengthen the Australian literature sector and develop further markets and audiences, here and overseas.

Australian book publishers, authors, illustrators, editors, translators and compilers can register for Lending Rights under the next round of the schemes by 31 March 2025 here.

Find out more:

Read the Minister’s media release