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Jeff:
Most authors who have sold their books to a traditional publisher are under contract with them -- they have signed an agreement giving the publisher the right to be the sole publisher of that work in most cases. So while these authors might appreciate the show of support such a donation/tip jar contribution might be, I bet most would much rather you acquire the book legally (preferably new, since they get no royalty from used books sales).
For books that are out of print or not available due to geographic restrictions, I would think the best bet is to contact both the author and the publisher and request that they make the book available. Let them know that you have cash in hand, eager to spend...the more publishers hear from folks like that, the more inclined they will be to make these books available.
Independent self-pubbed authors might be a good deal more receptive to such contributions since they are both publisher and author...
Personally, because my ebooks lack DRM, I have set up a tip jar option on my website and within my ebooks because I'm expecting...perhaps even hoping...for a bit of the "pass along to a friend" effect. I hate the idea of making my books difficult to access -- DRM tends to penalize the honest, well-meaning but less technically savvy readers far more than the dedicated "pirates."
My hope is that if you get a copy from a friend and you enjoy my stories, perhaps you'll go purchase some of my other books.
As a small, independent author, every sale and every contribution counts. Financial support from readers who enjoy my stories makes it possible for me to keep on writing books instead of doing other tasks to earn a living.
-- Bill Smith
BillSmithBooks.com
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