A New Landscape
The use of metered one copy/one user licensing has risen in the digital publishing industry. The Big Five book publishers have moved eBook and digital audiobook availability almost exclusively to metered licensing. Perpetual licensing remains available but is often cost-ineffective and is slowly phasing out for high-demand titles.
With the Big Five only offering most new and trending titles via metered licenses, libraries rely on the one copy/one user model to deliver highly sought-after content.
Transactional licensing, however, offers a 100% return on investment and delivers more catalog permanency. Whereas 99% of the Hoopla Instant pay per use (PPU) catalog is maintained over time, metered content is temporary—with many licenses expiring long before the library has been able to realize the full value of the purchase.
One Copy/One User and Pay Per Use Work Best When Working Together
Below is a comparison of true costs per circ for an audiobook available from a large trade publisher and authored by a New York Times bestselling author. Emerging authors, backlist, and special interest titles offer better value as PPU titles.
Digital Publishing Landscape
An Apples-to-Apples Comparison
When considering the purchase of a one copy/one user license, fully evaluate its true cost and consider that not all licenses will achieve full utilization. The numbers below are averages and will help define a better purchasing strategy for your library.
A New Strategy
The answer isn’t one model or the other—it’s both.
Libraries are developing stronger collection development policies that strategically blend metered, perpetual, and transactional licenses, optimizing budgets and allowing for a better patron experience.
Metered licenses can bridge the gap to pay per use availability, while features such as Hoopla’s holds relief functionality reduce the need for additional one copy/one user licenses.
Breaking Down the Math
Libraries have options when it comes to one copy/ one user and PPU content. With a $4 million digital audiobook budget, libraries can choose:
Here are some best practices to help navigate the increasing shift to metered licenses:
Meeting the Challenge of AI-Generated Content
With AI reshaping how content is created, distributed, and consumed, the library industry is undergoing its own rapid transformation and uncovering new opportunities and challenges.
Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to consistently and dependably identify all AI-generated content. The digital book industry is still working to standardize best practices for publishers to attribute AI contributions within their metadata feeds.
Hoopla strongly advocates for industry standardization in metadata, and we are solidifying our product data requirements with our content providers to use preferred and currently available tagging options in those feeds.
Digital Audiobook Sales Increase—Along with Piracy
Audiobook sales revenue grew to $2.22 billion in 2024, a 13% increase over 2023 that was almost entirely driven by digital audiobooks. Digital accounted for 99% of all audiobook revenue in 2024, growing year over year by 14%.
However, 35% of surveyed audiobook listeners said they have listened to an audiobook on YouTube.* While this content is free, much of it is also pirated. This creates an opportunity for libraries to step in and
become a free—yet ethical—option for digital audiobooks.
*”Research Surveys Press Release.” June 2, 2025. Audio Publishers Association, audiopub.org/surveys
The Emergence of Independent Creators
With new promotional avenues like TikTok and Goodreads, independent authors are enjoying increased exposure to new audiences. While the Big Five still hold the majority of market share when it comes to dollars, independent authors are moving more units.
Digital platforms like Hoopla make it easier for libraries to offer patrons a wide variety of content— not just from major publishers, but also from indie authors who may be experiencing sudden increased visibility.
Libraries Are a Trusted Source
A recent survey revealed that 63% of audiobook listeners value access through their library app.* This number indicates that libraries—despite recent political and funding challenges—are still considered trusted entities within their communities.
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