Textbook Piracy...Real or Imagined?

I read an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education from earlier this month where publishers claim that textbook piracy via the web is rampant.

I find this claim a bit hard to believe, but I suppose if publishers want to think this is happening, that's their right. There is some evidence that some poor-quality PDF's are available of textbooks online through a Torrent site. I've checked out a handful, and they are indeed of questionable quality with little or no editing or true alternate format availability for a disabled student. They are simply rudely scanned copies of random textbooks that may or may not be the latest version, and are of limited usable quality, even by a non-disabled person.

However, now that the specter of textbook piracy has been raised, this puts the pressure on legitimate producers of alternate format. While we don't like being the police when it comes to student use of resources we produce for them, we still need to make at least a minimum effort towards making sure students are aware that they should not be sharing their alternate format online or anywhere else without permission from the original publisher.

It is a fine line many of us walk to begin with; I know many campuses that practice blatant civil disobedience on their campuses in the production of alternate format for students, often producing materials without permission from the publisher. Many of us have taken the stance that we are burdened with the task of providing alternate format, and that if publishers cannot get on board and at least give us permission, then we will produce and provide it anyway to a student who requires it.

ADA/service to students trumps Fair Use almost any day, in my eyes, and the eyes of many of my colleagues across the country.

Now may be a good time to look at policies and procedures surrounding how you distribute alternate materials to students, and how you instruct the student on the handling of the material. This is not a guaranteed method against piracy, but it is a reasonable way to cover your butt should the copyright police come sniffing by.

Good luck to everyone that is in this business, we may need it soon.