It's possible to buy collections of books from sellers on various auction sites. And they deliver the goods. But everyone who loves books, regardless of whether they are bound in paper or compiled from electrons, needs to know that a "deal" often costs somebody big time. The huge collections of books by major, midlist, and new authors are, invariably, infringements of those authors' intellectual property rights.

While it is legal and perfectly ethical to purchase a second-hand paper book, there really is no such thing as a second hand eBook. An eBook can easily be duplicated and shared through file sharing services, or by the DVD collections that are being hawked on auction sites. Such practices deny authors and publishers of the income they deserve.

Please support your favorite authors by purchasing their books, either directly from the publishers' websites, or through reputable booksellers. Only then will the authors receive royalties, the just reward for creating the characters, worlds, and stories that you love.

If you have questions about intellectual property rights and eBooks, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .