MSI Press Blog

  Our most purloined book is How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately by Boris Shekhtman. I find it on various sites, completely stolen in spite of \evident copyright (and often no way to contact the thief to send a cease-and-desist letter -- hopefully, some of the publisher associations working on this issue that plaques all authors and publishers will find some effective solutions). Usually a bad copy, i.e. heard to read. Our most popular book is How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately , outselling some of our books 9:1 and our next bestselling book 2:1. Are these sales numbers in spite of the purloining or, ironically, thanks to the purloining (e.g., purchasers wanted an easier-to-read copy, the purloiners brought the book to the attention of potential readers who would not otherwise have known about it)? I suppose we will never know the answer as to whether the book benefitted from or was harmed by the thefts. It will be so helpful for professional organizations t

Here is some news shred from Science Fiction Writers of America that should be of concern especially to writers but also to readers. When books are stolen, writers lose income, and that makes it less possible for them to continue writing -- and THAT should be of concern to readers. Readers can help: Do not read purloined books. Find the publisher and acquire a legitimate copy.   HOW TO USE A PANDEMIC TO LEGITIMIZE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT The Internet Archive's Open Library Project--a huge repository of scanned print books available for borrowing in various formats--justifies its existence with a novel (and disputed) legal theory called Controlled Digital Lending, which it claims allows it to create new digital editions of in-copyright books without seeking owners' permission.  In March, as the coronavirus pandemic was taking off across the world, the IA abandoned one of the key provisions of CDL to create the National Emergency Library--basically, the Open Library with rest