united-states copyright
Is it legal to scan a copyrighted book for personal use?
<p>Is it legal to use a scanner or camera to digitize a copyrighted book if it's only for personal use? I own the book, and I have no plans to sell it or give it away.</p>
<p>If so, once the copyright expires, can I share my copy, or do I have to scan it again?</p>

<p>US copyright law does not distinguish &quot;personal use&quot; from &quot;non-personal use&quot;, though it does distinguish <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-1847-criminal-copyright-infringement-17-usc-506a-and-18-usc-2319" rel="nofollow noreferrer">commercial</a> from non-commercial, where stronger sanctions can arise from commercial infringement – which can include <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-1851-copyright-infringement-fourth-element-commercial-advantage-or" rel="nofollow noreferrer">&quot;private financial gain&quot;</a>. Copying a whole book which you own <em>is</em> copying which is what define infringement, and because of the extent of copying, it is unlikely to be found to be fair use. There is a special provision for software in <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/41874/legality-of-creating-your-own-backup-copies-of-video-games-you-own">17 USC 117</a> that allows for making backup copies, which is not applicable to physical books. You are not a statutory archive, which is another escape hatch.</p>
