A Short Discussion on E-Books

   E-Books are a subject I have not yet discussed here, mostly because I don't particularly care for them. But this subject now warrants my attention as a question of ownership has come up. "Does one actually own an E-Book in the same way they own a paper copy?"

Gutenberg Bible

  Paper books are tangible, you can hold them in your hand and like most tangible items if you bought it and can hold it you probably own it.
  According to this and other articles this statement is untrue. According to the Huffington Post some users' E-Book libraries were deleted. According to Amazon's Conditions of Use "Amazon and its affiliates reserve the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, remove or edit content, or cancel orders at their sole discretion."
  Yes, this in fact means that you cannot and do not own any of the content you have purchased through Amazon's E-Bookstore. The company can in fact delete, edit, or remove any content they wish.
  Many have proclaimed the end of the paper book in favor of the E-Book. However, this insight that many are unaware of may change some minds. I personally have a Kindle account, but have not purchased anything with it. I enjoy having a library I can physically browse and pick through. I understand this is not for everyone, but these libraries may change your mind.

Trinity College Library