Do libraries expect you are hacking books?

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

Is removing DRM from library books widespread, and the libraries are just on board with it?

I don't believe it is .... To me its Stealing! & Doing it IS against MR Rules!

Although many people on MobileRead (not me) remove DRM from purchased books, I've only ever seen a few MobileReaders claim they have removed it from library books. I doubt it's widespread.

[jhowell]

Though there are likely differences in the opinions of the individuals involved, it appears that MobileRead moderators are OK with the idea of DRM removal for library books, but the DeDRM tools people are not.

[Barbara1955]

Well then MR has Changed the Rules. Not long ago mentioning removing DRM from Library books got Mods saying they were going to banned folks.

[sealbeater]

Just to stir the pot, I'm sure there are far more efficient ways of getting ebooks than deDRM'ing library books.

It's not a big thing, it may be an ultimate source but I doubt it accounts for more than...3% of the ultimate "pirate" ecosystem, if someone is doing it, it's someone who isn't very savvy and/or is limited by some other means.

Question tho, aren't we moving towards a time when all of this is hopefully going to be rendered irrelevant? Libraries are supposed to be, in my mind, repositories and holders of knowledge. Some kid making a copy of a book doesn't detract from that. Esp. if they have already read it.

Do libraries get new or rare ebooks regularly? Is there some reason that libraries would be considered attractive? Again, I'm not saying there isn't anyone doing it, I'm sure there are but it's got to be in the very low single digits and honestly I can't imagine why someone would go though the effort, personally.

Do libraries have a wide ebook selection?

Anyway, I'm not a fan of either copyright or DRM, and its better than some kid stealing the books, tho I can't judge anyone for doing that either.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

Well then MR has Changed the Rules. Not long ago mentioning removing DRM from Library books got Mods saying they were going to banned folks.

There a discussion of this topic not long ago in the Kindle vs Kobo thread.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by jhowell

There a discussion of this topic not long ago in the Kindle vs Kobo thread.

My basic take on this is let the moderators moderate. If you see a post you think breaks the rules, report it to the moderators and let them decide if it breaks the rules.

[ekbell]

I believe that liberal limits are primarily for excessive readers (such as I was when I was a teen on summer vacation).

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by sealbeater

Again, I'm not saying there isn't anyone doing it, I'm sure there are but it's got to be in the very low single digits and honestly I can't imagine why someone would go though the effort, personally.

The technical effort involved to remove DRM is not any bigger for a library book than it is for a purchased book, so that is not a real argument for or against it. From a libraries point of view what really is the difference between person A that format shifts (for example to read on a specific reading device of choice) and person B that "without breaking any rules" extends the borrow period by putting their ereader into airplane mode. Sure person B did not remove the DRM, but still circumvented it anyway.

[sealbeater]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

The technical effort involved to remove DRM is not any bigger for a library book than it is for a purchased book, so that is not a real argument for or against it.

I wasn't pointing towards effort, I was more referring to scale. It's the same as ripping CDs from the library or DVD movies, sure, you can do it but it's not worth the effort to do it yourself manually when you can easily obtain the results of (thousands? 10s of thousands?) other people's previous efforts.

[rem736]

i think that one good reason for increased checkouts is when you are looking at non-fiction reference books. you are not going to necessarily read every book from beginning to end, but do research and look for relevant information from all books.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Although many people on MobileRead (not me) remove DRM from purchased books, I've only ever seen a few MobileReaders claim they have removed it from library books. I doubt it's widespread.

For me, while I happily remove DRM from books that I purchase and plan to keep, I somehow doubt the DRM on any library books that I borrow is going to disappear during my 7 day loan period so I would not be able to finish the book.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by sealbeater

Do libraries get new or rare ebooks regularly? Is there some reason that libraries would be considered attractive? Again, I'm not saying there isn't anyone doing it, I'm sure there are but it's got to be in the very low single digits and honestly I can't imagine why someone would go though the effort, personally.

My local library consortium gets new ebooks on a regular basis. Quite often, I have put a hold on ebooks that I am interested in as one of the people who suggested the purchase. Other times, I place a hold as soon as the library web page says the book is becoming available. Libraries would be considered attractive in that books that you are not going to see as freebies through Amazon/Kobo/etc. are available.

Originally Posted by sealbeater

Do libraries have a wide ebook selection?

Depends on the library. A pretty decent selection in some areas, piss poor in others. There is a reason that quite a few people have library cards from remote libraries, much like paying for Kindle Unlimited but with a better selection of publishers.

[delph]

I'm someone who removes DRM from libary books, though not for pirating purposes. Here's why I do:

1. Formatting. This is actually the biggest reason. I'm probably way more sensitive to how I want my reading page formatted than I should be, but there it is.

2. Inevitably the book I've been waiting for for six months will become available when I'm in the middle of a doorstopper that I don't want to put down just yet, so I want to hang onto it long enough to read it.

I have a column in Calibre to track if something is from the library. I delete library books from Calibre when I have finished them, and I also return them if it's within the original loan period (and most of the time it is). I periodically audit myself to make sure I haven't inadvertently kept anything that I borrowed. If I think I'll read want to something I've borrowed again, I'll go buy it.

Point 1 likely has limited validity for a lot of folks. Point 2 I consider no different from my friend who puts her Kindle in airplane mode to give herself more time to finish a book, which is possibly still a grey area.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by sealbeater

Do libraries get new or rare ebooks regularly? Is there some reason that libraries would be considered attractive? Again, I'm not saying there isn't anyone doing it, I'm sure there are but it's got to be in the very low single digits and honestly I can't imagine why someone would go though the effort, personally.

Do libraries have a wide ebook selection?

The library I use does get new books regularly. Of course they are not always books I personally am interested in, but then I wouldn't expect that. The library does have a decent selection.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by delph

2. Inevitably the book I've been waiting for for six months will become available when I'm in the middle of a doorstopper that I don't want to put down just yet, so I want to hang onto it long enough to read it.

Are you aware that you can suspend a hold? if you see that there is only a short waiting list ahead of you and you know you won't have time to read the book soon, you can use this option.

https://help.overdrive.com/customer/...thundercontent

quote from the linked page:

Suspending a hold lets you continue moving up on a title's wait list without the title becoming available for you. If you reach #1 on the wait list, you'll be in the first position to get the book once your suspended hold period ends.

For example, you might want to suspend a hold for a popular eBook if you're on a long wait list for it, but know you'll be unable to read it because you're in the middle of another title.