While everyone salivates around the iPhone part of the ruling, one specific needed detail was indeed missing from the list – circumventing eBook DRM to convert the text to a format for another device.

Here’s an example:

You own a DRM protected eBook that you bought for your Sony Reader. You later purchase a Kindle. Kindle cannot read the EPUB format that your book is in, but you want to read the ebook on your Kindle. Can you circumvent the DRM in order to convert the ebook to MOBI format? Most license agreements at present say “no.” Amazon’s agreement specifically states that all you own is the right to read the content on the Kindle. You don’t own the book itself.

This is quite unlike a hardback book where you own the physical copy of the book. You bought it and you can do what you want with it. You can give it away, you can sell it, you can even burn it. What you can’t do is photocopy it and redistribute the content.

Ebook licensing ideally should duplicate this model. But at minimum, it needs to allow for law-abiding citizens to be able to crack the DRM in order to read content we purchased on some other device.

A step up from this would include the ability to deal with content from the library. Here’s an example:

My library offers ebooks as PDF, EPUB, and MOBI. But sometimes there are books that are in only one format (let’s say EPUB). I want to read that on my Kindle, but I can’t without circumventing the DRM and converting it to MOBI format, which clearly violates the EULA. But I only want to read it on a different device. I’m not going to strip the DRM and host it on some bit-torrent site or otherwise redistribute it. I just want to read it on an incompatible device.

I am waiting for the Library of Congress to rule on these issues as well, but I won’t hold my breath. It seems that they are more concerned with the iPhone than they are with people who just want to read. In fact, when this story was announced, I could only find one article out of 478 on news.google.com that actually detailed the ebook component of the decision. The vast majority (read: all the others that I searched) only talked about the iPhone, even though ebook text-to-speech circumvention was also part of the decision.

When all e-books are blocked from screen readers or e-reader read aloud functions, and no digital edition is available with such accessibility features.

– from DMCA revised: unlocking, jailbreaking phones, e-book text-to-speech, deemed fair use

Here is the text of the statement: Statement of the Librarian of Congress Relating to Section 1201 Rulemaking

My children have a similar love of reading.  My oldest is generally hauling a stack of books home with each trip to the library.  And when those are finished, they are asking for more.

A friend of mine recently asked how do you instill a love of reading in your children?  What is the secret?

I would certainly admit that some of it is natural instinct.  But I don’t believe that accounts for 100% of the process.  First, I lead this family by example.  The children often see me with a book in hand.  How can I expect them to read and love reading if they don’t see me doing it.

At an early age, we read to them.  We started with the usual list that would include Dr. Suess.  But even when they could read for themselves, we continued to read as a family; especially in winter when the sun sets early and it is just too bitter cold to go outside.  Instead of turning on the television, we would gather ’round and have family reading time.

Avoiding the television can be easier than it sounds, but it takes commitment.  It also takes setting an example.  For us, we don’t waste our money on fancy digital cable.  Sure, there are features and channels I’d like to have, but at what cost.  We do have basic cable, and even that is probably more than necessary.  We also do not have video games.  This helps create an environment that encourages reading because we have eliminated distracting (and what we would consider detrimental) alternatives.

So if you want to foster a love of reading in your children, set an example by reading a lot yourself, spend time as a family reading aloud (it isn’t just for the wee ones), and turn off the TV.  You’ll be surprised at how well this can work.