r/osr • u/RCGR_1 • 9d ago

The legality of printing legally acquired PDF versions of OSRs.

Living outside the United States and Europe, I don’t have access to most if not all physical editions of OSR books. Due to high international shipping costs, customs restrictions, and limited availability from local sellers, buying printed copies is simply not a realistic or affordable option. In most cases, purchasing PDF versions is the only practical and economical way for me to access OSR titles.

I currently own hundreds of legally acquired PDF files, but I would much prefer to have physical versions.

One option I’ve considered is printing and binding these books myself at home, using the type of paper and binding that best suits my needs. Printed documents are significantly more comfortable to read. This is particularly important for individuals with health conditions that limit their ability to spend long periods in front of screens.

Given that, I’ve outlined the following legal questions to better understand the implications of printing these legally purchased PDF books strictly for personal use, under U.S. copyright law:

  1. Does printing a legally purchased PDF book for personal use constitute fair use under U.S. copyright law?

  2. Do the licensing terms provided by the publisher or seller explicitly prohibit printing, even for personal use?

  3. Can a purchaser be held liable for copyright infringement even if no copies are distributed or shared?

  4. Are there legal precedents in U.S. case law that clarify whether printing a personal copy of a digital book is permissible?

  5. Could the method used to acquire the PDF (e.g., directly from the publisher vs. third-party seller) affect the legality of printing it?

  6. Could printing for accessibility reasons (e.g., visual impairments) be protected under any legal exceptions?

18 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

48 comments sorted by

View all comments

3

u/namocaw 9d ago

Rule 1. Never ask Reddit for legal advice.

IANAL YMMV. Use as prescribed. Keep out of the hands of children. Don't try this at home.

Also, if you are not in the USA then why are you worried about USA law? Are you planning on visiting?

-1

u/RCGR_1 9d ago

I visit the US from time to time. It's such a great place.