[Quoth]

Originally Posted by issybird

Purely anecdotally speaking, I don't think this is accurate. It seems to me that many (most?) books at IA under copyright are no longer downloadable and have been shifted to "read online only" status. Similarly, books that were formerly available as read online are now inaccessible.

You may be right. It's only an impression. But it's still copyright violation if shifted to Open Library, unless written permission from rights holder. People may feel that's unfair, but that's how it works in Civil law.

Originally Posted by issybird

And while I'm at it I'll engage in some whataboutism as well, in that I don't think Amazon, as just one example, polices its listings for pirated listings. At all. They only respond to complaints from rights holders even in cases of egregious violations.

True. And it has to be the rights holder, not A. N. Other.
It's bizarre and worse. They scan for Amazon exclusive content on other sites and then penalise the KDP Select rights holder, usually accusing them of breaking the agreement, even if pirated and book is then blocked from sale!

Originally Posted by issybird

At least IA wasn't selling the books and did provide a desirable service; it could be the only source of out-of-print copyrighted books.

Yes. I have every sympathy for readers who want something and can't get it/ There are even IN PRINT & EBOOK version of a work in a Series only maybe available in certain countries.

Anyone that denies publishing and copyright laws are broken is bonkers. However unilateral "pirating" even as a "one loan out at a time" DRMed eLibrary with most secure DRM isn't the answer, but lobbying to change the rules is. The OpenLibray / IA attitude may help readers, and be out of kind motivation, but it's destructive to the rule of law. A thin end of a wedge.

Originally Posted by issybird

So I get the temptation. And since their downloads were lousy quality, who wouldn't buy the ebook if they could?

I do take your point, but perhaps this whole kerfuffle will nudge along access to the inaccessible.

I hope things change.

• Cheap POD means no excuse for "Out of Print".
• No excuse to not have ebooks. Even once off cost of OCR and human proof if no electronic format is peanuts compared to waste by Publishers.
• End Geographic limited sales.
• Stop making copyright longer. It should be shortened, but pigs would sooner be flying over a frozen hell and World Peace, no homelessness or hunger. War, homelessness and hunger are caused by greed and egotism.