Why your digital games could vanish in a heartbeat

News that GOG.com has delisted 29 games this month is a sobering reminder that at any moment the games you own could vanish from your PC game libraries at any time and there’s not much you can do about it. Admittedly, GOG’s games include titles that many gamers may not have heard about. But history has shown that this happens to well-known titles too and on platforms with millions of users like Steam and Origin. So how is it that something you’ve legitimately bought can be whipped away in a heartbeat? Don’t we have consumer protection laws against that? Personally, I’d like to see protections in place to keep games from disappearing for purely licensing reasons if they still have legions of fans and are being played by many… How is it that my games can just vanish? The laws around your digital assets will differ depending on where in the world you live, but in most jurisdictions there are no clear laws stating that you unequivocally own and have the right to your digital games in perpetuity. In the U.S. the Federal Trade Commission outlines some of the reasons why this is the case. By far the main reason has to do with the terms of the agreement you make when you create an account on a gaming platform or when you click purchase. When you buy a game on a digital platform, you’re essentially just paying to access the content — in other words, you own a license but not the actual game. Accessing content is not the same as owning it. It means that... Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2024-09-26 10:30:00 UTC ]

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Sending Scholarly Works to Far-Flung Seminaries

The Theological Book Network ships millions of religious studies texts to scholars whose libraries can't afford costly-but-essential books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-02-19 05:00:00 UTC ]
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In Portugal: De Marque’s BiblioLED Project Is Activated

The Portuguese network of libraries has launched a new program for digital book access, provided by Québec City's De Marque. The post In Portugal: De Marque’s BiblioLED Project Is Activated appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2025-02-04 16:05:31 UTC ]
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Your Library’s Hoopla Digital Collections Are Breaking Their Budget

If you've noticed changes to the digital materials you can borrow from your library, that's because that access is costing libraries way more than ever before. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2025-02-04 14:30:00 UTC ]
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Libraries are Good in Ways You Might Not Expect

Libraries are good for you in ways you might not have thought of, an overdue translation comes to English, dystopian novels pop (again). All in today's book news. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2025-02-03 17:25:00 UTC ]
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Lit Hub Daily: January 30, 2025

How Trump’s unconstitutional federal funding freeze put libraries (and everything else) at risk: “They are not afraid to threaten vast swathes of vulnerable Americans—the point is to be cruel and to punish.” | Lit Hub Politics “When I think about it, tucking the label / back into my husband’s... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2025-01-30 11:30:26 UTC ]
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It’s official: Research has found that libraries make everything better.

Science has backed up what many of us have long been saying: the library rocks. A study from the New York Public Library surveyed 1,974 users on how the library makes them feel and how it affects their lives, and the results are overwhelmingly positive. The researchers’ analysis (which used... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2025-01-28 16:23:23 UTC ]
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Digital Checkouts Rose 17% at OverDrive

Digital borrowing of e-books, audiobooks, and digital magazines rose to more than 739 million checkouts at the libraries and schools who use OverDrive's Libby and Sora apps. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-01-28 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Pediatrician in Harlem emphasizes reading to help kids stay healthy

Pediatrician Dr. Genna Ableman juggles the usual clinical tasks at every wellness visit: measuring a child’s vitals, administering vaccines and talking about nutrition. But she also makes time for what she says is one of the most critical ways to improve a child’s health: reading.Ableman,... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2025-01-24 11:03:08 UTC ]
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How the Librarian of the Year is helping his beloved Los Angeles

Librarian of Year John Szabo, of the Los Angeles Public Library, talks about the fires and why libraries are so important in these political times.  Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2025-01-23 16:45:45 UTC ]
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“Adults Only” Room, 140 Banned Books, & New Restrictions on Children’s Access Come to an Idaho Public Library System

Kootenai County libraries will create an "adults only" room, revoke library access to minors, and seek to ban purchases of a wide swath of book topics for anyone under 18. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2025-01-20 14:25:00 UTC ]
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Adams proposes $115B budget with slimmer spending on migrants

Mayor Eric Adams proposed a $114.5 billion budget for the coming year that dials back migrant spending while ramping up allocations for shelter beds, tax cuts and infrastructure. But he acknowledged uncertainties posed by a sluggish commercial office market and the policies of the incoming Trump... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2025-01-16 18:11:40 UTC ]
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New Research on Audiobook Circulation in US Libraries

The newly released 'Audiobooks and Public Libraries' report shows US libraries' community sizes playing a role in audio circulation. The post New Research on Audiobook Circulation in US Libraries appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2025-01-14 22:10:01 UTC ]
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Career on the brink, Adams doubles down on housing, mental health in 2025

As he kicks off a year that could see him jailed or booted from City Hall, and quite possibly both, Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday laid out an agenda for 2025 that doubled as a platform for his uphill re-election campaign.In his fourth State of the City address, Adams laid out plans that respond... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2025-01-09 18:44:42 UTC ]
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Colorado libraries look to the state's tech industry for next big idea

One library district is trying a new way of partnering with Colorado's business community in an effort to find innovative solutions. Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2024-12-24 18:43:34 UTC ]
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The Most Borrowed Books in New York City Libraries in 2024

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[ Book Riot | 2024-12-19 15:08:43 UTC ]
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2 years since Adams and Hochul’s recovery plan, how has New York fared?

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[ Crains New York | 2024-12-16 10:48:25 UTC ]
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School Librarians Are Altering Illustrations to Avoid Book Challenges and Other Library News

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[ Book Riot | 2024-12-13 12:30:00 UTC ]
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As children's book bans soar, sales are down and librarians are afraid. Even in California

Book bans are tanking sales of children's books. Schools and libraries aren't buying books about LGBTQ+ issues and race as they brace for culture war pushback. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-12-12 11:00:55 UTC ]
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Constantia Constantinou Tapped to Lead Whiting Foundation

Constantinou, a longtime leader in library innovation who most recently served as director of libraries at the University of Pennsylvania, has been appointed as the new executive director of the Whiting Foundation. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-12-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
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