Crime writer Pauline Rowson's books take her to top three percent of most borrowed authors in UK libraries

The Public Lending Rights (PLR) league table for the most borrowed authors from British Libraries was announced today and Pauline Rowson's crime novels and business books took her to the top three percent of authors loaned.

Public Lending Right (PLR) allows authors to receive payment under PLR legislation for the loans of their books by public libraries. Payments are made annually on the basis of loans data collected from a sample of public libraries in the UK. Over 23,000 writers, illustrators, photographers, translators and editors who have contributed to books lent out by public libraries receive PLR payments each year. And there are a further 14,188 authors whose loans fell below the threshold for receiving payments.

PLR systems have been established in many countries around the world. British authors can benefit from PLR payments in those countries which have a reciprocal agreement with the UK. Five countries - Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, France and Ireland - now make PLR payments to UK authors via ALCS.

There are proposals to extend PLR to audio books and ebooks lent out by public libraries in the Digital Economy Bill, which is currently going through Parliament. And that could take Pauline Rowson even higher because all her books (except her latest, Blood on the Sand) are available as e books and many as audio books.

Pauline Rowson says, 'This is great news. I'd like to thank all readers who have borrowed my books from libraries across the UK. I hope they have found them enjoyable and interesting.'

Pauline Rowson's books are also extensively loaned through American and Commonwealth Libraries.

Ends   February 2010