The Baen Free Library is a digital library of the science fiction and fantasy publishing house Baen Books where 61 e-books as of June 2016 (112 e-books as of December 2008) can be downloaded free in a number of formats, without copy protection.[1] It was founded in late 1999 by science fiction writer Eric Flint and publisher Jim Baen to determine whether the availability of books free of charge on the Internet encourages or discourages the sale of their paper books.[2]

The Baen Free Library represents an experiment in the field of intellectual property and copyright. It appears that sales of both the e-books made available free and other books by the same author, even from a different publisher, increase when the electronic version is made available free of charge.[3]

Baen Ebooks also sells individual e-books and a subscription-based e-book program. The books in the Free Library are available via the website for Baen Ebooks in various formats including HTML, Rich Text Format, and EPUB as well as unencrypted .mobi for Kindle.[4]

Baen CDs

In 2002, Baen also started adding CD-ROMs into some hardcovers of newest titles in successful series. They contain the complete series of novels preceding the printed book (for those books that were the latest in a series), other works by the same author, some works by other authors, and multimedia bonuses. The CD-ROMs have a prominent permissive copyright license which expressly encourages free-of-charge copying and sharing, including over the Internet.[5]

Some of these CDs also contain MP3 audiobook versions. As of 2015 CD 24 Invasion published in 2010 was the last promotional Baen CD.[6]

References

  1. ^ Free Library - Categories Baen Books Science Fiction and Fantasy Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  2. ^ Allen Smith (2009). "Annotated Baen Free eBook Listing". Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  3. ^ "Prime Palaver #6". Baen.com. 2002-04-15. Archived from the original on 2010-01-02. Retrieved 2010-01-28.
  4. ^ Eric Flint (2002). "Baen Free Library". Baen Publishing. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  5. ^ Eric Flint (2002-10-05). "Re: War of Honor comes with extra ebooks". Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written. Usenet: tlEn9.47642$xI5.9721@sccrnsc02. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  6. ^ Nate Hoffelder (2012-12-07). "Free eBook Site BaenCD (Fifth Imperium) Makes Changes as SF Publisher Baen Books Moves to Sell eBooks in the Kindle Store". Ink, Bits, & Pixels. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  7. ^ "Baen 01 - Honorverse CD (War Of Honor)". Baen Publishing. 2002. Retrieved 2015-06-13 – via the Internet Archive.
  8. ^ "Baen CD-ROM Library Version 6 - The Wind Rider's Oath Disk". Baen Publishing. 2004. Retrieved 2015-06-13 – via the Internet Archive.
  9. ^ "Limited Edition The Shadow of Saganami CD-ROM". Baen Publishing. 2004. Retrieved 2015-06-13 – via the Internet Archive.
  10. ^ "Baen CD-ROM Library Version 13 - The 1634: The Baltic War Disk". Baen Publishing. 2006. Retrieved 2015-06-13 – via the Internet Archive.
  11. ^ "Baen CD-ROM Library Version 13 - The Best of Jim Baen's Universe 2006". Baen Publishing. 2006. Retrieved 2015-06-13 – via the Internet Archive.
  12. ^ "Baen CD-ROM Library Version 22 - The Mission of Honor Disk". Baen Publishing. 2010. Retrieved 2015-06-13 – via the Internet Archive.
  13. ^ "1635: The Eastern Front". baencd.thefifthimperium.com. 2010. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  14. ^ "Baen CD-ROM Library Version 23 - Eric Flint - The 1635: The Eastern Front Disk". Baen Publishing. 2010. Retrieved 2015-06-13 – via the Internet Archive.
  15. ^ Szymon Sokół (2011). "Baen CDs". Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  16. ^ "Baen 24 - INVASION: The Secret World CD". Baen Publishing. 2010. Retrieved 2015-06-13 – via the Internet Archive.

External links

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