Spring Cleaning The Collection

[JFLL]

I've been donating the discs to my local library and getting a tax credit for them. If I need to rerecord one of them, I will borrow it from the library.

I'm glad your local library still collects classical CDs. Mine has progressively reduced its classical collection over the years and has added hardly anything new over the past five years. (Its collection policy was always a bit bizarre. They had two copies of the Kaplan Mahler 2, one of the Barbirolli Mahler 9 and that was all the Mahler they had!) I suspect there's nobody on the staff any more who knows anything about classical music. No sign of them subscribing to the Naxos Music Library, like some other public libraries, either.

[Dave2002]

If I need to rerecord one of them, I will borrow it from the library.

Technically I think that even on your side of the pond that would be illegal. There are those that record from library resources, but it surely violates copyright law. Not sure if the "needs must" argument can apply though, as sometimes libraries have material that is no longer available commercially. Scholars and others might be able to claim an exemption if they can show they really need the material. Probably better than that the CDs go to landfill straight away when the library clears out, and can't sell the stuff. Even more unscrupulous people would simply not return the CD or declare it lost.

Unfortunately most libraries don't have sensible policies re discards. One library had a book which I'd never seen anywhere else. I said to the librarians that if they ever had a clear out I'd like to buy it, but they said they couldn't reserve it. It was, for sure, cleared off the shelves, and I've never seen it since.

OTOH, if you wait long enough, libraries are likely to sell off their CDs etc. at low prices, though perhaps many in the UK have already done that. I used to get quite a few that way. Maybe US libraries are doing the same.

[verismissimo]

Every time I've culled, I've regretted it at some point in the future. Every recording has something to say, and my own ideas and tastes change over time (usually unnoticed by me at first).

[richardfinegold]

I'm glad your local library still collects classical CDs. Mine has progressively reduced its classical collection over the years and has added hardly anything new over the past five years. (Its collection policy was always a bit bizarre. They had two copies of the Kaplan Mahler 2, one of the Barbirolli Mahler 9 and that was all the Mahler they had!) I suspect there's nobody on the staff any more who knows anything about classical music. No sign of them subscribing to the Naxos Music Library, like some other public libraries, either.

I've only donated a handful so far, and I'm not sure how they would react if I showed up with hundreds of CDs as planned. The town next to us has a library that is 6 times larger and every year has a fair in which they sell off excess stock, so I might try them next.
Regarding the copyright issue, I believe the law is written in the States to the effect that it is legal to make a copy from a library as long as it is for personal use. One can't file share or burn CDs and sell them on a street corner. Enforcing this, is of course, another matter entirely. I have many recordings in my collection that were obtained this way. If it turns out that I am doing this illegally, I hope no one here will turn me in, or at the least, send a package of Scottish Shortbread with a hidden file
to whatever gaol I happen to reside in.

[EnemyoftheStoat]

never ever knowingly got rid of a single piece of music.
I have room for lot more.
Somewhere.
I am sure.

You need to work on your haiku writing, TS

[mathias broucek]

I believe the law is written in the States to the effect that it is legal to make a copy from a library as long as it is for personal use. One can't file share or burn CDs and sell them on a street corner. Enforcing this, is of course, another matter entirely. I have many recordings in my collection that were obtained this way. If it turns out that I am doing this illegally, I hope no one here will turn me in, or at the least, send a package of Scottish Shortbread with a hidden file
to whatever gaol I happen to reside in.

Every teenage music lover used to make cassette copies of stuff from the library. When I was a teen (1980s) there wasn't much £££ about and recordings were far more expensive in real terms than today. As most of us grow up we replaced the tapes with purchased content. I couldn't believe it when the music bus started suing kids for file sharing - presumably alienating them from becoming paying consumers in the future.

[teamsaint]

You need to work on your haiku writing, TS

swap, lend, give away
spring clean, new brush or fresh start
"space for music" day.

where's EdgeleyRob when you need him?!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I couldn't believe it when the music bus started suing kids for file sharing - presumably alienating them from becoming paying consumers in the future.

I'm afraid I have to disagree here. Teenagers I teach seem unaware that copyright exists and the reasons for it. When I explain, they might reply: "No-one will know."

So does that make it OK?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Well of course you could rip 'em to a drive before offloading...

But once you sell, give the original legal copies away, your ripped copy becomes a pirate copy.

[richardfinegold]

But once you sell, give the original legal copies away, your ripped copy becomes a pirate copy.

Interesting copyright laws y'all got there (excuse the Southern accent; I'm vacationing in Hilton Head, South Carolina, close to where the War of Northern Aggression started).

[Dave2002]

Interesting copyright laws y'all got there (excuse the Southern accent; I'm vacationing in Hilton Head, South Carolina, close to where the War of Northern Aggression started).

You really need to check that the laws don't have the same or similar interpretations in the US. In practice keeping a "backup" copy and clearing out the physical original is unlikely to cause a problem, unless "they" investigate you for other copyright offences, and then discover you've retained copyright materials illegally.

[Demetrius]

I'm afraid I have to disagree here. Teenagers I teach seem unaware that copyright exists and the reasons for it. When I explain, they might reply: "No-one will know."

So does that make it OK?

Mixed feelings about this one.

File sharing can be a huge opportunity for bands/musicians that are trying to establish a fan base, as their music spreads further and reaches more people than it would ever have reached through selling CD's. An established fan base is then usually ready to spend a considerable amount of money on concert tickets, trinkets, t-shirts, autographs ... and actually, CDs.

Record companies that look out for their immediate profits and go after file sharing thus can stiffle the development of the musicians they "protect".

An non musical example: the success of japanese comics and animation series/films (Manga/Anime) in the western world at the moment has a lot to do with companies not going after all those fan made translations that have swamped the internet for the last 15 years. In theory, they lost money on every copy that was downloaded instead of bought. In fact, no one would ever have bothered buying. There would be no market whatsoever. There is now.

On the other hand, when it comes to classical music, I like to buy. The dynamics of the industry are different.

[BBMmk2]

Very true Demtrus! I have had to downsize in my last move(with the wife ofcoiurse!?!?!?:)) and this had to have a result of culling books, cds etc. I found that quite a few of these items, I though, now what on earth possesed me to buy?

[Veronika]

I'm afraid I have to disagree here. Teenagers I teach seem unaware that copyright exists and the reasons for it. When I explain, they might reply: "No-one will know."

So does that make it OK?

I agree with you. It's the same with photography ("pictures are free" or "I found it on Google so it's free" or "you just pressed a shutter to get this picture, how difficult/expensive is that?") - it's getting more and more difficult to get even a return on expenses unless you are shooting weddings and commercial. And even there... there are a lot of people willing to give their work away for free. Sorry, gone a bit OT here, but having once considered photography as my plan B, I am naturally very disillusioned - and copyright-aware...

[richardfinegold]

I agree with you. It's the same with photography ("pictures are free" or "I found it on Google so it's free" or "you just pressed a shutter to get this picture, how difficult/expensive is that?") - it's getting more and more difficult to get even a return on expenses unless you are shooting weddings and commercial. And even there... there are a lot of people willing to give their work away for free. Sorry, gone a bit OT here, but having once considered photography as my plan B, I am naturally very disillusioned - and copyright-aware...

I completely see your point. I think that I should be allowed to burn a disc that I have purchased (or was given as a gift) to a hard drive and play as I wish. It is more problematic if I borrow from a library. In the future something like the Naxos library will probably be universal.