Did he destroy his library?

Question

A book lover digitizes his 3,000-book collection: slices off each spine, feeds the loose pages through a scanner, recycles the paper, and keeps the files forever. He says he's carrying his library in his pocket now.

Accepted Answer

Destructive scanning is the standard way books become files — the blade is what makes it affordable. Doing it without the blade costs several times more per page. He owns the books, and the law is entirely on his side. Remember the spine cutter. He comes back. (32% of Americans answer "Destroyed it" — floor est.)