MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Electronic versions of out-of-print paperbacks

Gannett · 10-11-2010, 10:36 PM

Thanks for your replies. You all make some very interesting points.

I (rather naively) assumed I could offer electronic version of a particular work to a rights-holder (if they can be traced) or their agent. Electronic books seem to be gaining popularity now, moving away from the scanned PDFs of the last 10 years or so, and I was prepared to put the work in and, with the agreement of the copyright hlders, distribute them.

But reading your posts I'm wondering if, apart from preserving some yellowing 40-year old paperback for the future, it's really worth the effort. Hypothetically speaking, of course, I could make these works available for all and sundry, so they wouldn't have to spend hours in dusty second-hand shops, but in reality I would not want to breach copyright laws!

Oh well, it was worth thinking about, I suppose.

10-11-2010, 10:36 PM	#14
Gannett Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: none	Thanks. Thanks for your replies. You all make some very interesting points. I (rather naively) assumed I could offer electronic version of a particular work to a rights-holder (if they can be traced) or their agent. Electronic books seem to be gaining popularity now, moving away from the scanned PDFs of the last 10 years or so, and I was prepared to put the work in and, with the agreement of the copyright hlders, distribute them. But reading your posts I'm wondering if, apart from preserving some yellowing 40-year old paperback for the future, it's really worth the effort. Hypothetically speaking, of course, I could make these works available for all and sundry, so they wouldn't have to spend hours in dusty second-hand shops, but in reality I would not want to breach copyright laws! Oh well, it was worth thinking about, I suppose.