[Publib] audio books and legal questions

[Christopher F. Bowen]

The usual, I am not an attorney, but... disclaimer. 

Some time ago we confirmed that maintaining backup copies of CDs that come as inserts in print books (such as computer how to) is OK. However, I am pretty sure that using one format (CD) to create a circulating copy of another format (MP3) goes way beyond what is permitted for an archival copy.

And by the way, we only buy books on CD from vendors who provide replacement copies. Getting a replacement of the original for 5 or 6 bucks is a whole lot easier than copying every CD in every book and housing a gazillion copies, many of which you may never actually use.


Christopher F. Bowen
Library Director
Downers Grove Public Library
1050 Curtiss Street
Downers Grove, IL 60515-4606
630-963-2595


On Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 8:52 AM, Joshua J. Carlson <jcarlson at midyork.org>wrote:

>  A sales rep recently suggested the following to me, and I?d like to know
> your opinion on the legality:
>
>
>
> Background: I was asking about Playaways.
>
>
>
> He said that we are allowed to keep 1 backup on CD of our audiobooks
> legally (?).