E-book uploads
From MobileRead
Contents |
[edit] Index & Links to Uploaded eBooks on MobileRead
Click on the link below for the index of all ebooks uploaded to MobileRead that are currently available. Clicking on the entry will take you to the original thread where they were posted so that you may download them directly. At the moment most of the available ebooks are in Sony Reader format. Many books are also in MobiPocket format and an increasing number are in IMP format for the eBookwse-1150. Other formats are supported in the Misc category. Some of the files are in the zip or rar compression format. These must be decompressed prior to loading on the Reader.
[edit] Major Formats
The major formats currently supported by the eBooks uploaded to MobileRead include:
- EPUB for Sony eBook Readers, iPhone, iPod Touch and a growing number of other devices.
- LRF for Sony eBook Readers
- MOBI for iRex iLiad, Bookeen Cybook Gen3, PDAs, and others.
- IMP for the eBookwise-1150 and similar devices.
All of these formats are also usable on PC's with appropriate software.
[edit] MISC Format
This misc format includes files in these formats but new files and formats may be added at any time.
- LIT - Files for MS Reader format.
- PDB - Files for eReader or in PalmDOC format.
- PDF - Files formatted for smaller screens like the Sony or Cybook.
- HTML - Files to be read in a browser or converted to other formats.
[edit] Genre
The uploads at Mobile Read are augmented with prefix names that will identify the genre for each eBook. This will help users determine which books that they may want to download. There is an ongoing effort to add prefix and tag data to previous uploads.
[edit] Creating Uploads
If you want to help and create some uploads you can certainly do it. MobileRead would like all the help it can get is uploading public domain and creative commons licensed eBooks. You might want to look at How-To: Create an eBook to see what is involved.
[edit] What Is In the Public Domain
The uploaded books are generally in the public domain or have a release from the author. But the question is: What is in the public domain? As you might expect, it's somewhat complicated. The MobileRead web site is located in Canada and generally follows the Public Domain rules for Canada.
[edit] The world
In most of the world, it's pretty straightforward - things enter the public domain (PD) a certain number of years after the death of the author. In most countries that number is 70 years, in a few (eg Australia and Canada) it's 50. That means that, for example, all works of authors who died prior to 1938 are currently PD in Europe; prior to 1958 in Australia, and that advances, year by year, as you would expect it to (e.g.: next year it'll be 1939/1959).
[edit] The USA
In the US, the rules are rather more complicated, largely due to the political lobbying done by companies like Disney who are desperate that M. Mouse and co should NEVER enter the public domain. Full details of the rules can be found at http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/public_domain/
Basically, for works published in the US:
- Anything published prior to 1923 is PD.
- Anything published from 1923 to 1978 without a copyright notice is PD.
- Anything published from 1978 to 2 March 1989 without a copyright notice or subsequent registraton is PD
- Anything published from 1923 to 1963 for which copyright was NOT renewed, is PD.
- Anything published from 1923 to 1963 for which copyright WAS renewed, is in copyright until 95 years after publication (i.e. 2018 and later).
- Anything published from 1964 to 1977 is in copyright until 95 years after publication (i.e. 2059 and later)
- Anything published after 1977 is in copyright until 2048 or author's death + 70 years, whichever is longer, or for 95 years after publication for corporate works
- Anything published after 2002 is in copyright until 70 years after the author's death, or for 95 years after publication for corporate works.
The net result of this is that some stuff is in the PD in the US, but not elsewhere (early works of authors who had LONG lives - eg Agatha Christie), and a LOT of stuff is PD outside the US but not in the US (works of authors published after 1923 who died before 1937/1957).
As the years go by, the balance is shifting - what is PD in the US is a static set of works, whereas elsewhere new material is entering the PD every year.
The earliest that any new works will enter the Public Domain in the US is 2018, when works first published in 1923 enter the public domain. This is assuming there isn't another copyright amendment act in the next ten years that extends US copyright further.
[edit] Copyright
Works not in the public domain are considered to be copyrighted. An author or owner of a copyright determines what can be done with a document. An author can choose to place their work in the public domain or may choose any of several alternatives such as the GNU copyleft agreement or the Creative Commons license.
Breaking a copyright agreement is considered to be different from other forms of theft for example:
The United States Supreme Court doesn't agree that breaking a copyright is stealing. (Dowling v. US, 473 US 207):
Since the statutorily defined property rights of a copyright holder have a character distinct from the possessory interest of the owner of simple "goods, wares, [or] merchandise," interference with copyright does not easily equate with theft, conversion, or fraud. The infringer of a copyright does not assume physical control over the copyright nor wholly deprive its owner of its use. Infringement implicates a more complex set of property interests than does run-of-the-mill theft, conversion, or fraud.
Out-of-copyright books account for about one-sixth of all titles. Most books--75 percent of them--are in copyright, but out of print. Only about 10 percent of all books are both copyrighted and in print. --According to the WeeklyStandard.
See above for What Is In the Public Domain.
[edit] For more information
Each country is different so a check with official information regarding your country is something each person concerned with copyright should do. A google search can usually turn up all the information you need.
This site is registered in Canada. The applicable copyright law can be seen at:
Canada copyright - an interpretation
http://www.mobileread.com/copyright.html - For the official policy of MobileRead
