Post #3214963
2025-07-02 15:55 UTC
Replies (4)
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@lanodan@queer.hacktivis.me 2025-07-02 15:59
@a1ba@suya.place @Yuvalne@433.world @ehasbrouck@urbanists.social Also offline libraries have got CDs and DVDs for decades by now, and those are digital formats for which making copies is rather cheap (in fact in some countries there's taxes in place to theoretically go back to rights owners).
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@ehasbrouck@urbanists.social 2025-07-02 17:07
@a1ba@suya.place @Yuvalne@433.world - Only the law stops one from copying a book borrowed form a library. But Libraries don't themselves make unlimited numbers of printed copies. They only lend the copy they bought. It's not about what those who get copies from IA do. IA *itself*, unlike a library, is making the unauthorized copies.
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@ehasbrouck@urbanists.social 2025-07-02 17:11
@a1ba@suya.place @Yuvalne@433.world - Many writers *already* make works included in previously-published books available online in non-DRM formats. But IA *refuses* even to talk to writers about letting us add pointers to these authorized editions to IA index pages. IA insists on telling visitors *only* about its own bootleg versions, even when better, authorized versions exist.
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@ehasbrouck@urbanists.social 2025-07-02 17:14
@a1ba@suya.place @Yuvalne@433.world - Many writers would also be willing to license rights to non-DRM distribution by libraries. But libraries have refused to talk with writers about licensing. They prefer to get ebooks form publishers of print versions, who in many cases never owned the digital rights, and demand less favorable terms than would the writers who actually hold most backlist digital rights. Don't blaim writers for what former print book publishers' do! We are eager to negotiate directly with libraries.