The Bookseller.com

20th November 2008

SoA protest PLR 'snub'

01.02.08 Alison Flood

The Society of Authors is planning a high-profile campaign to register outrage at cuts to the Public Lending Right, which handles payouts to ­writers when their books are borrowed from public libraries.

The funding of the PLR will fall next year, and will only return to its existing funding level in three years' time. In 2007/08 it will receive £7.68m. In 2008/09 this will fall to £7.43m, in 2009/10 it will receive £7.58m, and in 2010/11 £7.68m.

SoA chair Tracy Chevalier has written to minister for culture Margaret Hodge, laying out the "overwhelming sense of astonishment" felt by authors at the decision to cut PLR funding. She has called on Hodge to reconsider, and ensure that funding "at least keeps pace with inflation" over the next three years.

"The PLR scheme is widely seen as a just, efficient and economical way of rewarding writers for the loan of their books from public libraries. Writers are therefore deeply disappointed by the funding plans and see the DCMS decision as a snub to the profession," she says. "As you know, most authors earn very little. Their annual PLR payments provide an important part of their core income.

"Given that PLR constitutes only a tiny fraction of the DCMS budget and is the only direct support given by the government to writers, it is particularly surprising to us that you plan to undermine a scheme that has been regarded as a great success story. The cut may be small, but the clear message given to writers is that they are not valued."

SoA council member Simon Brett will also write to new secretary of state for culture Andy Burnham about the decision, describing it as an outrage.

Authors currently receive 5.98p each time one of their titles is borrowed, up to a maximum of £6,600. The median income of a professional author is just £14,000, according to the ALCS.

Authors Alison Flood Society of Authors PLR

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