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Terese
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 250
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 Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:40 pm Post subject: Do you lend out your books? |
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My friends and I will often save money by deciding who will buy which book, and then lend one copy to one another. We do that especially with a new author or one who is not an auto-buy. Then if the ones who didn't buy it really like it they can purchase their own copy.
I have been leaning more towards e-books lately, since they take up less space on the shelf and they are so quick to get. But I don't know how that can work with lending. Am I right in supposing that you can't lend e-books like you can a paperback? I mean, not without also lending the reader? I sure wouldn't want to be without my reader. Bad enough to not get a book back. Not getting my kindle back might result in legal action. And possible breaks from sanity.  But it's not legal to email a copy to a friend, right? It's not like lending a paperback. But the e-versions are about the same price, only without a tangible book to hold in your hand. I don't want to break the law or cheat a publisher or its authors, but money is so tight right now that frivolous things like books are not as high on my budget as say, groceries or the heating bill. Any suggestions? |
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Heather
Joined: 27 Jan 2009
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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| I do the same thing with my book friends...and most of us have converted to ebook and we've kept up the tradition. We mostly like the same authors, so we decide who's going to buy what...then we swap them, via email. I don't know about the legality of it...but I really don't see it as any different then when we bought regular book books. Believe me...ALL of us contribute HEAVILY to the romance book industry. We probably contribute even more now because we can't go to a UBS for our books anymore. To me, it's no different, for the most part...the only difference is we can read the same book at the same time, then discuss amongst ourselves...it's so fun. One of my friends' reader only reads .lit files...my reader can't read .lit files...so I have a converter that converts the book into a format I can use. |
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WandaSue
Joined: 29 Mar 2007
Posts: 277
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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Do I lend out my books?
No -- not my keepers.
I learned the hard way that "lending" a book is no different than giving it away. I can't tell you how many books I have "loaned -- only to lose it forever.
Nope. Not my keepers. |
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morninggirl5
Joined: 22 Dec 2008
Posts: 206
Location: Snellville, Ga
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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| I'll lend a book that I didn't like and don't really care if it's ever returned. |
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Kelly B
Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 136
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | But it's not legal to email a copy to a friend, right? It's not like lending a paperback. |
Right. Sorry if this is double posting, since I just said the same thing in the rich people whining thread, but thought I would provide the answer here directly...
Copyright protections have a carve-out for something called the first sale doctrine. Once you have legally purchased a copy of something, you are somewhat free to do what you want with that particular physical copy. Lend it, resell it, throw it away, etc. You can't however, make a copy of that first version. Since in sending the file, you keep the original, you are essentially creating a new file and distributing it--a violation of two of the copyright holder's exclusive rights (reproduction and distribution). So, by handing over your Kindle, you are sharing the physical copy you bought, which is okay, but by just sending the file, you are technically violating US copyright law.
That said, I can certainly understand your reluctance to hand over an expensive piece of equipment. |
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LeeB.
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 1221
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:21 am Post subject: |
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| WandaSue wrote: | Do I lend out my books?
No -- not my keepers.
I learned the hard way that "lending" a book is no different than giving it away. I can't tell you how many books I have "loaned -- only to lose it forever.
Nope. Not my keepers. |
WandaSue: I did lend a book recently to a close friend because I know she will take care of it and return it to me in its pristise condition, but otherwise I agree with your comments.
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Schola
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1867
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:10 am Post subject: |
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| LeeB. wrote: | | WandaSue wrote: | Do I lend out my books?
No -- not my keepers.
I learned the hard way that "lending" a book is no different than giving it away. I can't tell you how many books I have "loaned -- only to lose it forever.
Nope. Not my keepers. |
WandaSue: I did lend a book recently to a close friend because I know she will take care of it and return it to me in its pristise condition, but otherwise I agree with your comments. |
There are few people whom I trust to return books at all, and even fewer whom I know will return them in the same condition. At the moment, there is exactly one person in my life who is allowed to even approach my bookcase--but he can't stand Romance, so I can't lend him much anyway. 
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"To be in a romance is to be in uncongenial surroundings. To be born into this earth is to be born into uncongenial surroundings, hence to be born into a romance." (G.K. Chesterton) |
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sssspro
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 531
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:02 am Post subject: |
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| I'm with Morninggirl here. I read my books and then don't care where they end up. I don't keep anything. I lend them to whomever wants to read them, or if no one is interested they go into the donation pile. My mom works in inner cities and about 3 times a year runs book giveaways. She gives away thousands of books to whomever wants them. The idea that SOMEONE reading the books is better than having no access to them at all. All throughout the year the local schools and kids do book drives to collect books for these give aways...really a great thing to see. |
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maggie b.
Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 2252
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:19 am Post subject: Re: Do you lend out your books? |
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| Terese wrote: | My friends and I will often save money by deciding who will buy which book, and then lend one copy to one another. We do that especially with a new author or one who is not an auto-buy. Then if the ones who didn't buy it really like it they can purchase their own copy.
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My friends and I do the same. None of us are currently looking at ebooks so that is not a problem but I love the sharing. And it means we are all reading the same books and can talk about them. Love it!
maggie b. |
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Linda in sw va
Joined: 27 Mar 2007
Posts: 4707
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:13 am Post subject: |
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| sssspro wrote: | | I'm with Morninggirl here. I read my books and then don't care where they end up. I don't keep anything. I lend them to whomever wants to read them, or if no one is interested they go into the donation pile. My mom works in inner cities and about 3 times a year runs book giveaways. She gives away thousands of books to whomever wants them. The idea that SOMEONE reading the books is better than having no access to them at all. All throughout the year the local schools and kids do book drives to collect books for these give aways...really a great thing to see. |
This book giveaway program sounds like such a wonderful thing!
To answer the question on lending - I do occasionally. I hate it when they come back spine creased though so I'm picky about who I lend them to. In the past I have actually bought two copies - one to lend out and one to keep on my shelf.
Linda
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xina
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 6628
Location: minneapolis
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:06 am Post subject: |
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I lend books out to about 5 people on a regular basis. Only 2 are romance readers. I've been disappointed lately though. Most of them don't come back at all. I wonder what makes people think they can keep them. I'm reluctant to ask for them back thinking they haven't read them yet. My best and most respectful loaning friend (back within a reasonable time...never creased..took really good care) now has a Kindle, and she loves it! So, I don't get books from her anymore.  I'd like a Kindle too, but can't make up my mind. I like paper books.
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"As you wish"
~The Princess Bride |
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Schola
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1867
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:10 am Post subject: |
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| xina wrote: | | I lend books out to about 5 people on a regular basis. Only 2 are romance readers. I've been disappointed lately though. Most of them don't come back at all. I wonder what makes people think they can keep them. I'm reluctant to ask for them back thinking they haven't read them yet. |
This is what I do when that happens:
I say, "Oh, are you finished with __________ yet? I've been wanting to reread it."
A lie, yes, but I'm protective of my books!
Of course, it doesn't work when one has lent out more than one book at a time to the same person.
_________________
"To be in a romance is to be in uncongenial surroundings. To be born into this earth is to be born into uncongenial surroundings, hence to be born into a romance." (G.K. Chesterton) |
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IslandGirl
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
Posts: 636
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:34 am Post subject: |
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| Ok I usually have heart pangs when giving up a book even as a loan. Because you know how it goes they hold on to it never return it and I hate having to ask for my fave back. So I really don't like to lend except if I'm truly done with it and wouldn't want to ever reread. |
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Heather
Joined: 27 Jan 2009
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Linda in sw va wrote: | This book giveaway program sounds like such a wonderful thing!
To answer the question on lending - I do occasionally. I hate it when they come back spine creased though so I'm picky about who I lend them to. In the past I have actually bought two copies - one to lend out and one to keep on my shelf.
Linda |
Gosh Linda...I have a friend like you...her books ALL look new. She tells me about this wonderful book she just read, how great it is, I should read it. Then she says, I'll lend it to you...and I'm like...NO WAY...the pressure not the bend the spine is just too great. I just couldn't enjoy the book if I had to worry about causing spine creases!!! Needless to say...I don't borrow her books...of course...she borrows mine all the time!!! Hmmmm, that's not really fair, is it?!?!? I should hook the two of you up...members of the non spine creasers club!!! Hee Hee |
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xina
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 6628
Location: minneapolis
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Schola wrote: |
This is what I do when that happens:
I say, "Oh, are you finished with __________ yet? I've been wanting to reread it."
A lie, yes, but I'm protective of my books!
Of course, it doesn't work when one has lent out more than one book at a time to the same person. |
Yes, I think I'll do that Schola. I feel reluctant though, because she has some real serious issues going on in her life, and I know that reading is one of her escapes. I guess I feel I don't want to add to her worries. Mentally, I've kind of written the books off.
Although....I didn't do that with my DIL, who does read a lot of romance. We had been over to their house and my husband and I were going to one of our favorite UBS after we finished our visit. She gave me a bag of books to sell for her. I looked in the bag and saw my copy of Winter Garden (still in perfect condition...but worth 25.00 on Amazon) and my beloved copy of One on One by Tabitha King!! I took those out when we got to the car.
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"As you wish"
~The Princess Bride |
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