MacMillan trying to stymie libraries.

[Galactic Bus Driver]

Publishing giant MacMillan is trying to stymie access to new e-books at public libraries. Please, sign the online petition here to let them know that we will not stand for this kind of treatment.

 

[CTRandall]

I've read a bit about this. Several libraries are boycotting MacMillan over the outrageous fees, terms and limitations it's putting on e-books. I hope MacMillan takes enough of a hit in sales to reverse their tack and make e-books more accessible in libraries.

That, however, isn't the sole problem with digital books and rights. Exclusive content offerred by Amazon and subscription-only services means libraries won't be able to preserve copies when companies go out of business. Also, only a handful of publishers put out the majority of text books (in the US, at least) and their attempts to go purely digital will prevent schools and students from buying used books cheaply.

The whole area of digital content rights/protections needs careful examination and updating.

 

[Galactic Bus Driver]

I've always argued that DRM stands for digital restrictions management not digital rights management as the publishers/record labels/studios would have us believe. They provide precious few rights with the "purchase" of their products, but plenty of restrictions as to how you can use digital content.

If I buy a (print) book, CD/cassette/album, or a DVD/blu-ray and don't like it, or simply decide I don't want it any longer for any or all of a variety of reasons, I can gift it, sell it at a yard sale, sell/trade it at a used store and no laws have been broken. Attempt to do that with any digital media and you are committing a crime, even if you relinquish the originals and all the licensing to that media. Add in the fact that they can (and have) stop you from enjoying content you have full legal right to, at the whim of the company. I understand their fear of piracy. I also understand that as long as I'm treated like a pirate without any evidence, there's very little digital content I'll ever purchase. I further understand that the DRM security they build is only paid for by legitimate purchasers, is incredibly expensive, and is typically broken within days, even hours, of it's implementation making it worthless.

Rent or borrow? Yes. Purchase? No. Just no. At least, not very often.

I do so love Cory Doctorow. He's actually removed all his works from Audible because Audible will not sell content that is not DRM protected, no matter the author's wishes. It's because DRM is not there, despite protestations from the labels/publishers/studios, to protect the content creators, but to protect the content providers profit margins and allow them to keep us penned up in their particular box.

 

[Ursa major]

for digital restrictions management not digital rights management

The latter already means the former, at least from the consumer's point of view: the rights are those of the publisher/author/whoever owns the copyright, not those of the reader.

 

[soulsinging]

Is there an easy way to find out what titles/authors Macmillan handles? Happy to see ohio come out strong against this with op Ed’s in Columbus and Cleveland.

 

[Galactic Bus Driver]

Is there an easy way to find out what titles/authors Macmillan handles? Happy to see ohio come out strong against this with op Ed’s in Columbus and Cleveland.

MacMillan conveniently provides lists of both, accessible from their main site.

The latter already means the former, at least from the consumer's point of view: the rights are those of the publisher/author/whoever owns the copyright, not those of the reader.

Actually, copyright law does protect the rights of the consumer as well as the provider. But, many of those were unceremoniously stripped away from digital content by the DMCA.

 

[Danny McG]