Book Introduction and Back Cover

[tbrothers]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

Hello,
I am setting up a web site for my church. The site will be a Book Library and the intent to allow church members to "check out" (borrow) a book for reading. The books would be donated by other church members.

The member will have the ability to search through a couple of hundred book titles and authors and for each book will have the ability to read the Introduction page and the text from the back cover.

MY QUESTION
Putting the book introduction and the text from the back cover of a book on my web site ... would that be considered copyright infringement?

www.vccbooklib.com

Regards,
Terry

 

[divgradcurl]

There are two issues here -- first, whether the action is infringing, and second, do you have a defense to the infringement? The answer to the first is yes -- you are reproducing a piece of a copyrighted work, so there is likely infringement. However, the amount you are reproducing -- small -- and the use you are putting it towards would likely support a defense of "fair use." The only trouble is, fair use is a defense to an infringement action, not a bar to bringing an infringement action, so there is some risk involved in going ahead and relying on fair use to protect you.

A less risky method might be to draft your own synopsis of each book for the website.

You might want to sit down with a local attorney, who can review all of the facts of your situation and advise you more specifically on the risks of your website.