EBSCO is excited to announce the adoption of a new Digital Rights Management (DRM) solution for EBSCO eBooks, LCP DRM, offered by EDRLab. This strategic move is set to bring significant benefits to publishers, libraries, and their patrons, enhancing the overall user experience and ensuring better content protection.
Why the Change?
EBSCO has always been committed to providing secure and accessible content to libraries worldwide. The adoption of LCP DRM is a step forward in evolving our DRM capabilities to meet modern standards. This new solution is designed to offer a more secure, vendor-neutral reading experience for EBSCO eBooks, free from the constraints of traditional DRM systems like Adobe.
Key Benefits for Libraries:
- Enhanced Security and Modern Standards: LCP DRM provides robust protection for digital content, ensuring that publishers' works are safeguarded against unauthorized access and distribution. This modern standard has been widely adopted by 100 companies globally, reflecting its reliability and effectiveness.
- Vendor-Neutral Reading Experience: Unlike traditional DRM systems, LCP DRM does not require users to have an Adobe account. This eliminates the need for additional account management, simplifying the process for library patrons.
- Improved Accessibility: The new DRM solution is fully accessible and integrates with Thorium Reader for desktop reading, which meets all global accessibility requirements. This ensures that all users, including those with disabilities, can access and enjoy digital content without barriers.
- Non-Profit Collaboration: EDRLab, the provider of LCP DRM, is a non-profit organization. By partnering with them, EBSCO aligns with a community-focused entity dedicated to improving digital content access and protection.
"I’m thrilled that we’re moving to a modern, ever-improving DRM system for EBSCO eBooks, one that reflects our users and customers’ feedback and brings meaningful improvements in accessibility and ease of use."
"I’m thrilled that we’re moving to a modern, ever-improving DRM system for EBSCO eBooks, one that reflects our users and customers’ feedback and brings meaningful improvements in accessibility and ease of use."
Upcoming Migration Notice
As part of this transition, all libraries will be automatically enabled for Readium LCP DRM on April 14, 2026 or May 19, 2026. If you are not sure of your migration date, please contact EBSCO Customer Service. Libraries needing even more time may temporarily disable EBSCO eBooks downloads through EBSCO eBook Manager.
Key details:
- DRM technology: LCP DRM will replace Adobe DRM for EBSCO eBook downloads.
- Recommended reader app: Thorium Reader (Windows, macOS, Linux), which meets WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility standards and supports text-to-speech, adjustable fonts, annotations, and more.
- Patron login: Patrons will continue to use their MyEBSCO accounts. To open their first DRM-protected file in Thorium, they’ll enter a one-time EBSCO passphrase per device.
Please note: For libraries in Europe, EBSCO eBooks downloads are currently disabled for compliance with the European Accessibility Act. LCP download activation will occur only once your selected migration date takes effect. If you need more time before moving to LCP DRM, you will be able to control your download settings in eBook Manager in April 2026.
Webinar Replay Now Available: Transition to LCP DRM
Missed our January 29th webinar on the transition to LCP DRM or want to revisit the key takeaways? The on-demand replay is now available. Watch to hear expert insights, explore what the transition means for your workflows, and get answers to common questions discussed during the session. Watch now.
Other Helpful resources:
Looking Ahead:
This transition to LCP DRM marks a significant milestone in EBSCO's ongoing efforts to enhance digital content delivery and protection. We are confident that this new solution will provide a more secure, accessible, and user-friendly experience for libraries and their patrons.
