Thanks for the clarifications forvernoob and jaberwock.


I think it can be much cheaper to get the scanned version, depending on the book and especially if two or three people request the same one.

Among the out-of-print or "library" books that instantly come to my mind, for instance, one is sold for 200 Euros, another for circa $400, and the "cheapest" one for 50 Euros!..

Not to talk about the series of edited collections (mostly 4 volumes each) sold for $2000! (Nobody that I know would buy them in person, of course; they are sold to libraries).

As I tried to mention above, probably it's not, in the strict sense: probably we would get a 'no' reply were we to ask the "copyright police" I am not sure even at this point though --since many libraries allow for scanning.

Regardless of whatever the correct answer would be to that question as such tough (someone else could clarify maybe), I don't see how this can even remotely become a legal issue practically.

Basically, one will end up doing nothing much different than asking a "virtual friend" to scan library material for her while covering the costs. The scanned documents will not be shared online (at least not immediately after the receiver gets the file. There should preferably be a lag long enough so that the sole responsibility for online sharing would fall on the receiver) but sent only to one or two people who requested them.

And secondly, that is why I thought this service should be mainly restricted to "research materials", "hard to access" library books, really expensive works by experts written for experts/ advanced students in the field etc: There is not a "mass consumer" market for such material anyway. And minor specialist groups already share research material among themselves.

I was thinking of myself as rather on the "receiver end" than the scanner one, but I think something around $10 or $15 should be fine for the rough scan of a "library book" (i.e. one that is not easily accessible otherwise). Yet, for this to really work, we would probably need something like a vibrant community (where maybe two people would request the same book once in a while and the scanner herself can get more btc this way, and where folks from various countries would exchange requests/ offers continuously).

 

Maybe it was so back in 2011. I don't know whether lucky's pricing has remained the same, but certainly "scanning" can has become much more quicker, thanks to the developments in handheld scanners/ scanning software built for tablets and definitely with DIY scanners (although this last one would apply to fewer people). With these, one can get a rough scan (i.e. not pretty looking, but there are software to improve rough scans substantially --the "receiver" can process the file with such software) of a circa 200 pages book in about half an hour, and certainly in less than one hour...

Well, this is very similar to the idea I had in mind for quite a while; I was wondering why I could find nothing on it on the net, until, well, now.. (hence the reason I registered here!)

Your proposal --which is great-- is eventually a little bit different from what I had in mind though. I am thinking of a website where people from around the world will scan library books for one another. Worldcat.org has a great system displaying whether a book is available in a library near to you... Thus, e.g., for an American seeking a German book, someone from Germany can scan it for some btc, and vice versa...

There may seem to be a bit of a legal problem here. But, maybe due to lack of knowledge, I am not aware as to how exactly that could become a "real problem", if further conditions are specified:

          Thus, the service can/ should be restricted only to research books (especially out of print ones maybe) that are not at all written to be sold in a large quantity but rather for a small circle of researchers. (Generally, their prices (ridiculously high --since sold mainly to libraries-- reflect this.) No "bestsellers"!

          The one to receive the book is not to share it further online --or if they do that, the legal responsibility lies solely on their part. The person who scanned the book for the receiver has practically done nothing else than doing a favor to a distant friend. And a lot of libraries in Europe/ US and many in the non-Western countries allow their members to scan books.

          This would not include e-books, thus no question of reproducing copyrighted content in the same form.

I think a website can be set up to implement these conditions and a viable exchange between those who offer the service and the receivers. (maybe like a forum). Thus, the person in need of a book sends a post specifying the book and the amount they are willing to pay or it in btc, and waits for a reply. Another person accepts the offer, scans the book, and finally the btc is transferred by the site to the "scanner." (I probably ended up repeating here what all btc markets do; sorry, I have never used them).

(or maybe one can do it in such a way that one or two --but not more-- "receivers" can join in if they share the price for the scanning service)

This can be incredibly useful for university students, academicians, and researchers in need of hard-to-access texts.

Maybe in the meantime one can use this place?

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(I am far from being the person who can implement such a website, by the way, due to the lack of necessary skills. It's just an idea which I find very appealing and hope that someone can actually do that)