Flaming Hydra raises $30,000 on Kickstarter to give libraries true e-book ownership

Online culture magazine Flaming Hydra has launched a crowdfunding campaign to overhaul how libraries handle digital content. The initiative, named The Phoenix Project, aims to raise $30,000 on Kickstarter by November 27 to support independent writers and reform digital ownership.

Challenging the digital licensing model

Today, schools and public libraries rarely own the e-books in their catalogs. Instead, institutions pay recurring licensing fees to publishers. These arrangements can become expensive over time. For example, some schools have faced recurring annual fees of $27 per student just to maintain access to a single digital title.

Under the licensing framework, publishers retain the ability to change text or revoke access to digital materials remotely. The Phoenix Project aims to replace this with permanent ownership, giving libraries complete control over the files they buy so that titles cannot be removed or shut off by third parties.

Open tools for lending and archiving

The Phoenix Project relies on an open-source tool called Lenny for Libraries, which acts as a library system in a box. Using this software, libraries can buy and store e-books directly and lend them to patrons.

The effort begins with five e-books written by Flaming Hydra contributors, including work from The Awl and essays by editor Maria Bustillos and writer Tom Scocca. The project also introduces The Phoenix FoundryFoundryA company that makes chips for other companies. Open in glossary Archive, a service designed to preserve paywalled newsletters and make independent journalism available to library readers.

Building human-driven publishing networks

The project also aims to address issues around automated content. Flaming Hydra contributors have previously reported finding automated clones of their published works sold on platforms like Amazon. By creating closed distribution pipelines between human creators and public institutions, the organizers aim to protect writers’ incomes while keeping digital collections accessible to the public.