"If you didn't pay for it, you've stolen it!"

[Steve Schear]

At 03:00 PM 10/24/2003 -0400, Cael Abal wrote:
>>What *is* a library?
>>1. A library is legal.  A library needn't be licensed by any state
>>entity.
>>2. Thus, I can declare my computer a library.  The only requirement is
>>that I own a license to what I lend, and that only 1 user exercise that
>>license at a time.  That is what a library is.
>
>An interesting idea, Major -- but unfortunately nothing is simple these 
>days.  Libraries, I would wager, likely have very specific legal 
>definitions (for tax purposes if for no other reason).

Many private libraries are non-profits or adjuncts of other non-profits 
(e.g., schools) but there is no reason a library can't operate as a 
for-profit entity.  I think major is right, that at least in the U.S. 
libraries are otherwise unregulated.

steve