"Ownership" of Books [Archive] - Wizards Community

"Ownership" of Books [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
lordtiberiusfoxx
05-21-07, 01:25 PM My wife and I share books between the two of us, as is proper because Nevada is a community property state. I would assume that us sharing books is acceptable then?

What kind of proof of ownership would you want for photocopying? I honestly don't feel like always carrying around Complete Warrior if I just need the Swashbuckler pages. Can I just get a picture of me taken, thumbs up and smiling with my full bookshelf?
bhale187
05-21-07, 02:15 PM I have never heard of this being an issue. I know it is a rule, and rightfully so. However, I have seen players hand their DM a photocopy of the rules and never seen a Dm ask for proof of ownership.
Vamroc
05-21-07, 04:51 PM "Ownership" simply implies that you have access to the book via a means that required a purchuse, trade, or some other transaction. Not just going to a retail shop taking it to the back and scanning pages with a phone or pda THAT IS CONSIDERED THEFT !!!. If you know someone with a book ask them for it and let your DM know it is rented or barrowed. However the DM still has the option to ban or restrict its use. If you must photo copy pages make sure you have a photo copy of your name on one of the pages in the front of the book and have that page with you. Once again the DM reserves the right to allow or disallow the use of photo coppied pages with or without proof of ownership.
Timlagor
05-21-07, 07:22 PM I have never known anyone to ask for any proof.
There is no requirement in the rules that you be able or willing to show proof or even evidence of ownership.

The rule is there to get people to buy the books and to ensure that GMs will always be able to have the rules in front of them when they have to make a decision about them. It is not there to make people stop playing and I don't believe that WotC or the RPGA has any intention of (or anything to gain by) trying to actively enforce the rule ..leaving aside any questions of what the legal rights are in various jurisdictions.

..it's definitely not something the average GM cares to spend gaming time on.

So by all means take that picture of you and your bookshelf: you'll have more proof than 50%+ of the people you're playing with.
Madfox11
05-22-07, 03:55 AM As if a picture and a bookshelf is proof... Look, for obvious reasons you need to own the book, but it is one of those things that simply cannot be proven in any practical way.
awroe
05-22-07, 04:10 AM As if a picture and a bookshelf is proof... Look, for obvious reasons you need to own the book, but it is one of those things that simply cannot be proven in any practical way.

Of course, if you run around shouting "I don't own these books, I just photocopied them from the library", people may dig deeper.

To find out exactly which library is great enough to stock role-playing books :)
UMiskatonic
05-22-07, 11:56 PM My mom is a town librarian, and gaming books are VERY high on the 'likely to never come back' list.

Sad, but true.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
lordtiberiusfoxx 05-21-07, 01:25 PM	My wife and I share books between the two of us, as is proper because Nevada is a community property state. I would assume that us sharing books is acceptable then? What kind of proof of ownership would you want for photocopying? I honestly don't feel like always carrying around Complete Warrior if I just need the Swashbuckler pages. Can I just get a picture of me taken, thumbs up and smiling with my full bookshelf?
bhale187 05-21-07, 02:15 PM	I have never heard of this being an issue. I know it is a rule, and rightfully so. However, I have seen players hand their DM a photocopy of the rules and never seen a Dm ask for proof of ownership.
Vamroc 05-21-07, 04:51 PM	"Ownership" simply implies that you have access to the book via a means that required a purchuse, trade, or some other transaction. Not just going to a retail shop taking it to the back and scanning pages with a phone or pda THAT IS CONSIDERED THEFT !!!. If you know someone with a book ask them for it and let your DM know it is rented or barrowed. However the DM still has the option to ban or restrict its use. If you must photo copy pages make sure you have a photo copy of your name on one of the pages in the front of the book and have that page with you. Once again the DM reserves the right to allow or disallow the use of photo coppied pages with or without proof of ownership.
Timlagor 05-21-07, 07:22 PM	I have never known anyone to ask for any proof. There is no requirement in the rules that you be able or willing to show proof or even evidence of ownership. The rule is there to get people to buy the books and to ensure that GMs will always be able to have the rules in front of them when they have to make a decision about them. It is not there to make people stop playing and I don't believe that WotC or the RPGA has any intention of (or anything to gain by) trying to actively enforce the rule ..leaving aside any questions of what the legal rights are in various jurisdictions. ..it's definitely not something the average GM cares to spend gaming time on. So by all means take that picture of you and your bookshelf: you'll have more proof than 50%+ of the people you're playing with.
Madfox11 05-22-07, 03:55 AM	As if a picture and a bookshelf is proof... Look, for obvious reasons you need to own the book, but it is one of those things that simply cannot be proven in any practical way.
awroe 05-22-07, 04:10 AM	As if a picture and a bookshelf is proof... Look, for obvious reasons you need to own the book, but it is one of those things that simply cannot be proven in any practical way. Of course, if you run around shouting "I don't own these books, I just photocopied them from the library", people may dig deeper. To find out exactly which library is great enough to stock role-playing books :)
UMiskatonic 05-22-07, 11:56 PM	My mom is a town librarian, and gaming books are VERY high on the 'likely to never come back' list. Sad, but true.