Making an online digital library in PF

[Wrichik Basu]

Over the years, the media gallery has been successful as an alternative to books. Many users have been benefitted from the videos and lectures uploaded in the gallery.

I just stumbled upon another idea: an online digital library in PF. Let's talk about how it would work.

Say I want to upload a book to the gallery. I will upload the book (pdf or epub or such format), and there will be a place where I'll need to describe why I think the book is suitable for the library. Acceptable reasons may be discussed later on. Then my request would be checked by the mentors and approved, if they find the book suitable. Otherwise the file will be deleted.

Now, how will someone read the book? For this, there needs to be a system, such that the book can be read only from the Web site, and not downloaded as pdf or epub. Copying would be disabled, and the book will be issued for a fixed period of time.

Who can issue the books? Namely, users who have contributed positively to the site. That will include the mentors, the staff emeritus, and gold members, besides @Greg Bernhardt, the captain.

What will be the special benefit of such a library? There will be a place for reviews, and experienced members will be able to review the book, and mention explicitly what they like/dislike in the book, and whether they recommend the book or not. In addition to that, when a book is being recommended in the Science and Maths Textbooks section, a link can be given to the book in the library.

Since only a specific group of members are being allowed to use the library, the publishers shouldn't be having a problem with copyrights.

The question that arises is, does the forum software have an option to incorporate a library like this? The answer can be given by @Greg Bernhardt only.

What are your thoughts on this? Should this be implemented, if the necessary software exists?

 

[anorlunda]

Interesting idea.

How would you deal with copyrights? We don't have the resources to verify the copyright status of each book.

I thought that project Gutenburg https://www.gutenberg.org/ and amazon.com already link most of the public domain books people can read free. Google books has also indexed them and it offers metadata and a preview page.

 

[Vanadium 50]

How would you deal with copyrights?

That's the beauty. PF takes all the risks!

 

[Wrichik Basu]

How would you deal with copyrights? We don't have the resources to verify the copyright status of each book.

If an user uploads a book that is being sold online, then either that person has bought the book, or scanned it from a library version. In either way, a hard copy was bought and the publishers shouldn't have a problem.

If, however, someone downloads from sites like library genesis, then copyright has already been violated by downloading the book for free. I don't think there is any more trouble from the publishers. They should track the site which originally hosted the book, not PF.

 

[ZapperZ]

If an user uploads a book that is being sold online, then either that person has bought the book, or scanned it from a library version. In either way, a hard copy was bought and the publishers shouldn't have a problem.

OH YES THEY WILL!

I don’t think you fully understand copyright violation. Just because you bought something does not give you the right to freely distribute it.

Zz.

 

[phinds]

If an user uploads a book that is being sold online, then either that person has bought the book, or scanned it from a library version. In either way, a hard copy was bought and the publishers shouldn't have a problem.

If, however, someone downloads from sites like library genesis, then copyright has already been violated by downloading the book for free. I don't think there is any more trouble from the publishers. They should track the site which originally hosted the book, not PF.

As zapper has already pointed out, you REALLY don't understand copyright. NONE of what you said is true (in the United States).

 

[anorlunda]

If an user uploads a book that is being sold online, then either that person has bought the book, or scanned it from a library version. In either way, a hard copy was bought and the publishers shouldn't have a problem.

Copyright enforcement may be less aggressive in India. @ZapperZ is correct that your concepts of copyright are wrong.

 

[Evo]

OH YES THEY WILL!

I don’t think you fully understand copyright violation. Just because you bought something does not give you the right to freely distribute it.

Zz.

Zz is correct, buying the book does not allow you to distribute copies of it, that is against the law in most countries and definitely in the US where PF is based.

 

[Evo]

If an user uploads a book that is being sold online, then either that person has bought the book, or scanned it from a library version. In either way, a hard copy was bought and the publishers shouldn't have a problem.

Think of it this way. You write a book and someone buys one, but your publisher is out thousands of dollars, so you get nothing, yet, you will when your book starts selling. Then that person uploads your book all over the internet and no one else ever buys your book because they can get it for free anywhere. As a result, no publisher will ever consider you again. You're ruined as a book writer.

The publisher and you shouldn't have a problem?

 

[StevieTNZ]

...or scanned it from a library version...

That alone breaches copyright.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

The only problem is copyright. That alone sets the stage for the disposal of the proposal.

Thanks everyone for a hearty discussion. I've understood what copyright means

 

[mfb]

Copying would be disabled

How would you read it then? Unless someone physically goes to the PF server it would have to be copied to be read. Every time you visit a website this website is (sort of if dynamic) copied. Technically even reading it on the server makes a copy - disk to RAM.

Since only a specific group of members are being allowed to use the library, the publishers shouldn't be having a problem with copyrights.

As long as this group contains more than the uploading person they do.

 

[e-pie]

[Mentor's note: this post has been edited to remove a digression about international copyright law]

What PF can do is make a dedicated section for science books(each subject) and post links(from Gutenberg/Google Book) of some important books. Also a brief description. That way people can search for book recommendations.

Like

Calculus/Tom Apostol(Google Book Link)
Though its copyrighted.

 

[ZapperZ]

What PF can do is make a dedicated section for science books(each subject) and post links(from Gutenberg/Google Book) of some important books. Also a brief description. That way people can search for book recommendations.

We already have a book/textbook forum within PF.

Zz.

 

[e-pie]

We already have a book/textbook forum within PF.

Where is it?

 

[ZapperZ]

Where is it?

Zz.

 

[e-pie]

I know that forum Zz. That's for asking book recommendations/guidance.
What I am saying is links to some science books from Gutenberg or Google Books that forum users can use.

 

[ZapperZ]

Yeah that's the thing. I was asking for compilation.
Subject or topic wise.

There is a thread on STEM Bible List. There is a thread on free physics textbooks. There is a thread on free math textbooks. Etc... etc. These are all there at your fingertips. Don't let me tell you how old I am and how we all used to have to drag ourselves to a "library" (remember those?) and hunt through a card catalog just to find a book!

The resources are already available on PF. We will stop short of spoon-feeding.

Zz.