3 ms·

They don't get to use regular consumer digital media. They have to use specially licensed extra-expensive versions that permit lending.

bombcar 3y ago
I’m not sure that’s the case for physical items like DVDs, because I’ve never seen anything indicating it’s special and the replacement costs are in line with “buy it on Amazon”.
- thfuran 3y ago
  No, physical items have reasonable legal protection against the IP holder trying to dictate what you do with it after purchase. The first sale doctrine allows libraries, game and video rental shops and such to physically lend copyrighted works. But when "purchasing" an ebook is actually just purchasing a heavily restricted and revocable license to personally use a work but not share it in any way, it doesn't apply. So libraries have to buy special ebook licenses that cost several times more than consumer ones and expire after dinner number of views. I assume it's similar for audiobooks and movies, but it's all up to individual publishers what restrictions and costs they'll impose on the licenses that permit lending.
  - bombcar 3y ago
    It's insane really - a library could buy a book and a robot with a camera, and let you turn the pages using the robot, and that would be fine; but ebooks are different, like software.
rahimnathwani 3y ago
Blu-ray is 'digital media' but because it's physical, US libraries can buy regular copies and lend them out as they wish. See 'first sale doctrine': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine?wprov=sfla1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine?wprov=sfla...
- TylerE 3y ago
  It isn't that it's actually illegal, but you can't sell/lend/rent what the distributor refuses to sell to you, and video stores would have the in demand new releases weeks or even months before they'd be sold on the consumer market. They got them because the likes of Blockbuster were willing to pay $70 or $80 in 19800's dollars for that privilege.
  - rahimnathwani 3y ago
    Can you give an example of a Blu-ray disk that's available to borrow at your local library, that isn't yet available for purchase on the consumer market?

bombcar 3y ago

I’m not sure that’s the case for physical items like DVDs, because I’ve never seen anything indicating it’s special and the replacement costs are in line with “buy it on Amazon”.

thfuran 3y ago
No, physical items have reasonable legal protection against the IP holder trying to dictate what you do with it after purchase. The first sale doctrine allows libraries, game and video rental shops and such to physically lend copyrighted works. But when "purchasing" an ebook is actually just purchasing a heavily restricted and revocable license to personally use a work but not share it in any way, it doesn't apply. So libraries have to buy special ebook licenses that cost several times more than consumer ones and expire after dinner number of views. I assume it's similar for audiobooks and movies, but it's all up to individual publishers what restrictions and costs they'll impose on the licenses that permit lending.
- bombcar 3y ago
  It's insane really - a library could buy a book and a robot with a camera, and let you turn the pages using the robot, and that would be fine; but ebooks are different, like software.

rahimnathwani 3y ago

Blu-ray is 'digital media' but because it's physical, US libraries can buy regular copies and lend them out as they wish. See 'first sale doctrine': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine?wprov=sfla1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine?wprov=sfla...

TylerE 3y ago
It isn't that it's actually illegal, but you can't sell/lend/rent what the distributor refuses to sell to you, and video stores would have the in demand new releases weeks or even months before they'd be sold on the consumer market. They got them because the likes of Blockbuster were willing to pay $70 or $80 in 19800's dollars for that privilege.
- rahimnathwani 3y ago
  Can you give an example of a Blu-ray disk that's available to borrow at your local library, that isn't yet available for purchase on the consumer market?