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.
New Update: Upcoming Webinar Just Added!
Learn more about EBSCO eBooks’ transition to LCP DRM and what it means for your library. Our product team will walk through upcoming changes, demonstrate the new patron experience in Thorium Reader, and answer your questions about migration timing, technical requirements, and configuration options.
Date: January 29, 2026
Register here
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. If your library requires additional time for internal testing, IT approvals, or workflow updates, you may choose to migrate on May 19, 2026, instead.
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.
If no date selection is submitted, your library will migrate automatically on April 14, 2026. To request a May 19, 2026, migration, please complete the short form by February 3, 2026. If your library needs additional time before moving to LCP DRM, you may request a May migration date. Libraries needing even more time may temporarily disable eBook downloads through eBook Manager.
Please note: For libraries in Europe, eBook 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.
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.
