[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

Large-print books are larger and heavier than regular hardbacks or paperbacks. Larger size and more weight are concerns for those who have gripping problems. One font size does not fit all; sometimes the font in a large-type book is either too large or not large enough.

Font size variation, font type variation (sans vs serif), lower weight, no pages to tear with shaky hands, no dust allergies... there are a lot of reasons, tied to a lot of conditions, why ebooks can be the difference between reading and not-reading.

By not allowing ebook versions, authors are saying to a segment of their potential customer base that they are neither relevant nor necessary.

Indeed. I always read "my books should be read in print" as "If your hands and eyes aren't strong enough for the formatting my publisher has chosen, you're not my intended audience anyway; I don't need your money and don't want your approval."

To those authors I would say, if you don't need me then I don't need you, and when someone ultimately scans and uploads your book, I'll feel no sympathy when you cry publicly about it.

There's even a (slight) legal precedent for this: the Sony v. Tenenbaum decision (about torrenting, defendant solidly lost), included the following:

the Court was prepared to consider a more expansive fair use argument than other courts have credited -- perhaps one supported by facts specific to this individual and this unique period of rapid technological change. For example, file sharing for the purposes of sampling music prior to purchase or space-shifting to store purchased music more efficiently might offer a compelling case for fair use. Likewise, a defendant who used the new file-sharing networks in the technological interregnum before digital media could be purchased legally, but who later shifted to paid outlets, might also be able to rely on the defense.

Emphasis added. If there is no legitimate digital version, it may be fair use to download a bootleg.

The concurring opinion in Suntrust v. Houghton Mifflin--"The Wind Done Gone" case-- says "The law grants copyright holders a powerful monopoly in their expressive works. It should not also afford them windfall damages for the publication of the sorts of works that they themselves would never publish, or worse, grant them a power of indirect censorship."

Originally Posted by kennyc

And if one particular book is unavailable, there are plenty of others. There is no obligation by an author to make their books available globally and to anyone who wants them.

Not quite true; the right to convert books for accessibility reasons is part of ADA law. This includes books with no authorized digital version. The author is not required to make them available, but nor is she allowed to prevent them from existing, if someone else takes on the conversion work.