Issues with distributing outlines of textbooks (for free)?

**CLKeenan** · 03-08-2007, 09:23 AM

I'm just wondering if there are any legal issues with outlining textbooks and placing those outlines online as long as you reference the textbook publishers information. These textbooks would be for high school classes like US History, Chemistry, etc. Users would need to register to view these outlines but registration would be free of charge.

Thanks for the help,
-Chris

**handsome rob** · 03-08-2007, 09:49 AM

What you're talking about is the textbook equivalent of Cliff's Notes or SparkNotes.

The bigger question I think should be: Are you willing to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to defend yourself in court?

I don't see a heated legal battle looming on the horizon for you, but if you're really worried about it then....

Assume that, if this gets as popular as Cliffs Notes, school boards and individual institutions that make these purchases will begin putting pressure on the textbook companies to do something about this. Fearing the loss of business, Harper Collins and the other big textbook publishers may take legal action. Assume also that they can afford better lawyers than you can.

**CLKeenan** · 03-08-2007, 09:56 AM

Why would school boards and individual institutions put pressure on the textbook companies? What do companies like Sparknotes and CliffNotes do to protect themselves legally?

I would argue that my site would improve business for these textbook publishers. Think about why people by iPods... is good portion of that reason is because of the fan base out there and the accessories made available to iPod users. I would consider my site an accessory to the textbook publisher. Since my site will be dealing with high school students (as opposed to college students) where the school's purchase the textbooks and not the students, having resources available to the students should not hurt the business of the textbook publisher.

**handsome rob** · 03-08-2007, 10:37 AM

Don't most teachers already ask their students to do outlines of the various chapters in text books for homework? It's been a long time since I was in highschool, but I probably had to outline every chapter of every non-mathematics textbook I ever picked up in highschool.

**CLKeenan** · 03-08-2007, 10:44 AM

It depends on the teacher, but most teachers find that the site to be quite useful in preparing their own lectures. I would say for every 15-20 positive emails I receive from teachers, there is 1 negative response and that is because the student blatantly plagiarized the content on the site and the teacher thought it was my fault for some reason.

**johniman7** · 03-08-2007, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Don't most teachers already ask their students to do outlines of the various chapters in text books for homework? It's been a long time since I was in highschool, but I probably had to outline every chapter of every non-mathematics textbook I ever picked up in highschool.

I think that is the whole point of this site is to get the attention of high school students who don't want to outline their chapters.

**CLKeenan** · 03-09-2007, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johniman7

I think that is the whole point of this site is to get the attention of high school students who don't want to outline their chapters.

The point of the website is to provide free resources to help students improve their grades by studying more efficiently.