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It sounds like you are more of an expert on Inter-Library Loans than I am. If, as it sounds like you are saying, I have access to all publications from all pub

It sounds like you are more of an expert on Inter-Library Loans than I am. If, as it sounds like you are saying, I have access to all publications from all public and private (or maybe not private) libraries in all 49 countries that offer ILL. I'm assuming, for the purposes of this discussion, that all public and private? libraries in those 49 countries participate in this ILL program. As long as I have a library card to one of said libraries, then I think it's safe to say that a publisher who publishes a fixed number of books and sells them exclusively to libraries (public or private?) which may or may not be far away from where I live, is not as big of a problem as I originally thought. Technically one could argue that I have "access" to those books.

dalke 11y ago
I was necessarily incomplete in describing what ILL does since I figured that information was easily available at places like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlibrary_loan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlibrary_loan and http://www.oclc.org/services/resource-sharing.en.html http://www.oclc.org/services/resource-sharing.en.html . No, you absolutely do not have access to "all publications" - for example, you cannot ask the Library of Congress to send you their copy of the Magna Carta. Some things are too bulky, expensive, or fragile to ship. Remember though that you asked about some academic's "magnum opus", which is unlikely to be restricted that way. No, not all public and private libraries are members of the OCLC. A search of http://www.oclc.org/contacts/libraries.en.html http://www.oclc.org/contacts/libraries.en.html gives 15K OCLC members and 63K participating libraries around the world. The library at the National Museum of Mysteries (see http://web.randi.org/swift/paranormal-themed-festivals-bring-tourists-to-town http://web.randi.org/swift/paranormal-themed-festivals-bring... ) is not listed as one of them. Remember though that your scenario concerned a state university, and those definitely are members of ILL. "Technically one could argue that I have "access" to those books." Yes. Though 'technically' you have access even if you have to fly to the Vatican library to see something in person. I would add the qualifier "relatively low-cost". It's costs me about $12 to get a copy of a journal article though ILL when it costs me about $35 to get it directly from the publisher. The main difference is that I need to wait a week or two. Books, oddly enough, are free.
- datashovel 11y ago
  I concur. Thanks for the conversation.

dalke 11y ago

I was necessarily incomplete in describing what ILL does since I figured that information was easily available at places like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlibrary_loan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlibrary_loan and http://www.oclc.org/services/resource-sharing.en.html http://www.oclc.org/services/resource-sharing.en.html . No, you absolutely do not have access to "all publications" - for example, you cannot ask the Library of Congress to send you their copy of the Magna Carta. Some things are too bulky, expensive, or fragile to ship. Remember though that you asked about some academic's "magnum opus", which is unlikely to be restricted that way. No, not all public and private libraries are members of the OCLC. A search of http://www.oclc.org/contacts/libraries.en.html http://www.oclc.org/contacts/libraries.en.html gives 15K OCLC members and 63K participating libraries around the world. The library at the National Museum of Mysteries (see http://web.randi.org/swift/paranormal-themed-festivals-bring-tourists-to-town http://web.randi.org/swift/paranormal-themed-festivals-bring... ) is not listed as one of them. Remember though that your scenario concerned a state university, and those definitely are members of ILL. "Technically one could argue that I have "access" to those books." Yes. Though 'technically' you have access even if you have to fly to the Vatican library to see something in person. I would add the qualifier "relatively low-cost". It's costs me about $12 to get a copy of a journal article though ILL when it costs me about $35 to get it directly from the publisher. The main difference is that I need to wait a week or two. Books, oddly enough, are free.

datashovel 11y ago
I concur. Thanks for the conversation.