The American Library Association is urging library patrons to take part in a campaign to convince one of the nation's largest publishers to reverse a policy restricting e-book sales to libraries.

ALA kicked off its #eBooksForAll initiative Wednesday during a press conference at the Nashville Public Library, where association officials urged Macmillan Publishers to cancel a new company policy of selling only one digital ebook to libraries during the first eight weeks of the title's release. The association set up a new website—eBooksForAll.org—where members of the public could sign a petition expressing their disapproval of Macmillan's decision.

"ALA's goal is to send a clear message to Macmillan's CEO John Sargent: e-book access should be neither denied nor delayed," ALA Executive Director Mary Ghikas said in a statement. "Our members are telling us their patrons want an easy way to join this movement and demand e-book access for all."

The petition was the latest salvo in an ongoing battle between libraries and publishers over e-book restrictions. Publishers worry that lax restrictions could hurt book sales. Libraries say such policies harm the poor and disabled people who rely on digital readers.

Macmillan's new policy is scheduled to take effect Nov. 1. In a July 25 memo obtained by Publishers Weekly, Sargent said 45 percent of e-books being read in the U.S. are through library loans and that number is rising. As a result, the company generates less than $2 on e-books sold to libraries—a small fraction compared to books sold through retail.

"It seems that given a choice between a purchase of an e-book for $12.99 or a frictionless lend for free, the American e-book reader is starting to lean heavily toward free," he said.