Ebay Legal Opinions Needed Please

[Archive]

Posted By: drc

I think the author's complaint is perhaps not the resale of the book (he has no case there)
but the reproduction of parts of the book online. One can resell a novel, but one
can't reprint a chapter from the book on your website without permission. The pictured
parts of the book have little text (granted I don't German so I don't know what they
say) and, due to their age and that he wasn't author, the author doesn't own any
copyrights on the Dag photos. Also, during sale, one can show a picture of the cover of
the book and perhaps a quick snapshot of the inside. I assume the book is out of print.

I do think it is legitimate for an author to complain if someone scans large portions of a book,
especiallly when the pages have essential tables or conclusion. I think a few pictures of old photos
in the promotion of the sale of the book can be okay. It would be a particularly neurotic
author who wouldn't be happy to see his 17 year old out of print book still being trading around
and used as reference. My dad had a book that was published in Japan (in kanji) without his permission
or knowledge, and he has a copy proudly displayed on his bookshelf.