On Fri, Oct 24, 2003 at 02:14:03PM -0400, Roy M. Silvernail wrote:Major Variola writes:
What *is* a library?
1. A library is legal. A library needn't be licensed by any state entity.
2. Thus, I can declare my computer a library. The only requirement is
that I own a license to what I lend, and that only 1 user exercise
that license at a time. That is what a library is.
Well stated.
Not really. Libraries have to pay more than we do for their subscriptions.
Be careful using the phrase "have to" in any discussion of legal issues.
Does government force libraries to pay more for some subscriptions? Not to my knowledge.
Do some publishers have different rates for individuals versus libraries and other institutions? Yes.
Are libraries required by law to reimburse authors and publishers when they allow books and magazines to be looked at by patrons or checked out by them? No laws that I know of.
In short, some publishers charge some customers more, and others less. In this sense, an Intel or a Carnegie Public Library "has to" pay higher rates to these particular publishers, but this is certainly not germane to issues of legality of libraries.
--Tim May
