I have an idea to streamline access to digital versions of books for users who already own the physical copies. The concept is to verify book ownership through a photo of the copyright page (or other avenues for proving physical ownership of copyrighted work), enabling immediate access to the PDF without the need for extensive scanning. This approach could be helpful in determining the rules for how we handle copyright and digital access for written work that is already purchased. Or rented. The publishers could even still get a cut on the rented (not on the purchased)…that is, people should be able to interact with AI on the textbooks or journal access they rent, not just have non-printable access.
Example: Given the high cost of textbooks and journal access in academia, students who buy physical copies or rent expensive textbooks are at a disadvantage… they should have access to a PDF version for interacting with AI about the content, as well as for easier use and accessibility. The end goal is to make information more accessible, as always.
I’m particularly looking for someone to take this idea and run with it. My main interest is in seeing this idea implemented. I kindly ask for proper attribution for the initial concept and am open to collaboration in its development.
If you’re interested in this concept, have experience with copyright or digital access technologies, or are looking for a new project to collaborate on, please get in touch! I’m eager to hear your thoughts and explore potential parterships.
Looking forward to not scanning the thousands of books that I trained on!
It sort of is…it just involves a bridge, so the scanning every page of a 28 year career library of physical books and journals is not necessary. I would definitely use a GPT that could make this an easy process!!!
Beside that. If I wanted to implement such a process I guess I’d have to talk to some publishers and we need to find a way to transport the digital copy from their shops to the user upon scanning. The problem I see is who is gonna pay for that?
Do you know how expensive developers are?
The digital copies are already available, outside of the publishers. Look at the wrapper people who try to make money on people trying to get scientific information!!
No, silly. But my library certainly belongs to me…the actual books and journals are in my possession, I just have to have someone scan them, page after page…
So then we have the first business partner here I suppose… What would bring you into the position to say yes to something like that? I mean the service doesn’t necessarily needs to be for free i suppose.
Wouldn’t it be cool as an upselling product to give the printed version buyers a code to scan so they can buy the digital copy for a reduced price to use that in a RAG?