A Scissor-less, Paperless, Tome Business, Law and Libraries: The eBook and Mobile-Reader Debate

Introduction Chris Lever M.Jur. Candidate, School of Law, Durham University

I. BUSINESS Is there a market?

Is there a market?

I. BUSINESS eBooks were too expensive. Lack of selection of titles available as electronic books. Proprietary formats and associated DRM causing a lack of interoperability between reading systems, fear of longevity of formats and general lack of flexibility of files once purchased.

eBooks were too expensive.

Lack of selection of titles available as electronic books.

Proprietary formats and associated DRM causing a lack of interoperability between reading systems, fear of longevity of formats and general lack of flexibility of files once purchased.

I. BUSINESS “ At present home download and computer speeds, it could end up being more expensive to get hold of a free copy of a classic work. An 1825 complete works of Shakespeare, found by the Google book search, runs to 908 pages and takes 56.6 megabytes of data. Downloading the tome would take up to five minutes on a broadband fast internet link, and could take approaching an hour on a traditional dial-up connection. But the determined reader would have to endure reading the plays on a backlit screen. Printing out, though adds to the complexity. Using a cheap home printer working at 12 pages a minute, it would take 75 minutes to produce the entire book for bedtime reading. The exercise could easily consume an entire ink cartridge, which costs between £35 and £40. On Amazon it is possible to buy a paperback Complete Works of Shakespeare for £4.79.”

“ At present home download and computer speeds, it could end up being more expensive to get hold of a free copy of a classic work. An 1825 complete works of Shakespeare, found by the Google book search, runs to 908 pages and takes 56.6 megabytes of data. Downloading the tome would take up to five minutes on a broadband fast internet link, and could take approaching an hour on a traditional dial-up connection. But the determined reader would have to endure reading the plays on a backlit screen. Printing out, though adds to the complexity. Using a cheap home printer working at 12 pages a minute, it would take 75 minutes to produce the entire book for bedtime reading. The exercise could easily consume an entire ink cartridge, which costs between £35 and £40. On Amazon it is possible to buy a paperback Complete Works of Shakespeare for £4.79.”

II. LAW THE WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANISATION (‘WIPO’) TREATIES

THE WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANISATION (‘WIPO’) TREATIES

II. LAW THE DIGITAL MILLENIUM COPYRIGHT ACT (‘DMCA’)

THE DIGITAL MILLENIUM COPYRIGHT ACT (‘DMCA’)

II. LAW THE EU COPYRIGHT DIRECTIVE

THE EU COPYRIGHT DIRECTIVE

II. LAW Exceptions and Limitations to Copyright in The Directive

Exceptions and Limitations to Copyright in The Directive

II. LAW The Private Copy Exception

The Private Copy Exception

III. LIBRARIES Benefits

Benefits

III. LIBRARIES Concerns

Concerns

A BEST-PRACTICE MODEL Legal Arm Creative Commons Business Model

Legal Arm

Creative Commons

Business Model

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