Re: copyright under stress

     I have been thinking about the effect of electronic books on library operations. It seems pretty clear that a library could not download a work and make copies to load into patron's reading devices. However, if the library buys several of these devices, and downloads paid for copies of popular works into them, would it not be acceptable to loan out these devices with the electronic work in place in the device? Seems like this would be a normal fist sale protected operation. When popularity of the work dies down the devices could be used to download new works and the process iterated. This could actually improve efficiency in public library fiction collections.

     I would be interested in what the list thinks of such a plan.

               BRB Bert R. Boyce, Professor & Dean
School of Library & Information Science
Louisiana State University
267 Coates Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803

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FAX: (225)388-4581
LSBOYC[_at_]lsu.edu Received on Tue Jun 27 2000 - 19:15:30 GMT