An idea I've had

August 2011

I recently moved, and with me came a big stack of paper books, most of which I’ll never read again — not properly — but still most of which I’d be unhappy to lose. And sure, the shelf looks suitably impressive with my array of literature, but the shelf would be far better used storing almost any other objects.

So I think it would be really cool if there was a system where could give the physical copies to my local library, who would contact the publishers, who in turn would send me a free copy of the ePub version of the same books.

The library gets free stuff. I get a shelf back. The publishers get royalties as libraries pay a small fee per rental. Maybe publishers lose out as libraries and their patrons read my copy instead of buying their own; maybe they make more money as libraries replace my worn copy with new, or patrons get hooked on series I haven’t finished yet. Maybe the ebooks could be tax-subsidised to encourage donations; maybe the PR benefits would sway publishers without subsidy.

Would this work? Does it already exist? How can it be set up? I don’t know any of these things. Do you? I don’t know that either.