• Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        5 months ago

        The economy is based on goods and services being exchanged for money. A book is a good that took time and resources to create. A publisher invested into that good with the intent to make a profit, and having it available online for free without their consent circumvents that.

        I’m not saying it’s ethical or that I agree with it, I’m just saying it makes sense.

        • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          5 months ago

          having it available online for free without their consent circumvents that.

          In this particular case the publishers are trying to double dip

          Controlled Digital Lending is the library practice whereby a library owns a book, digitizes it, and loans either the physical book or the digital copy to one user at a time.