Right now you can download thousands of public domain classics for free via Blackmask, Project Gutenberg, GutenTalk, manybooks.net, MemoWare, you name it.

But what if Jack Valenti prevails with his dream of near-eternal copyright–perhaps aided by Republican copyright zealots such as Sen. Orrin Hatch, who, for all I know, shares Valenti’s ‘tude all the way? Would schools have to pay as much as $995 someday for a thin collection of just 250 classics? Could never happen, could it?

Ugh, guess again. Even now, eReader.com wants $995 for its 250-book Classics Collection CD for school use. Will the bargains never stop? Hey, for a mere $1,495, you can buy an awesome 500 titles.

Am I missing something here? I don’t exactly see eReader.com adding that much in the way of value. eReader.com says:

Schools receive the Classics Collection CD that can be loaded on the school’s server. The eBooks are listed on the school Web site by both title and author, or can be located by using the browser’s built-in search function. Users simply click on the selection and download it in less than a minute to any Palm OS handheld device, Windows or Mac computer.

The Classics Collection includes 500 core literature classics that have been optimized for reading with eReader, the free, award- winning eBook application.

Wow. This begs for fond comments from Blackmask owner David Moynihan, who, for $19.95, will sell you a DVD with 12,000 books that you can read in formats for which free e-reader software is available.

Meanwhile I’m reminded of the title of a Sinclar Lewis novel called Free Air. As I recall, that’s the phrase that gas station used in bragging about their price for air to put in your tires. Talk about huckstery. But wait. Maybe this is different. eReader is charging $995+ for something that should be free like the air or close to it.

Oh, well, maybe the good people at eReader–actually the old Palm store–have been picking up tips from a certain public domain biography.

In eReader’s own words: “The Standard Edition is a collection of 250 titles for $995.00; and The Gold Edition adds an additional 250 titles to the collection for a total of 500 titles for $1,495.00.”

“Gets Worse” Department: The price of public domain literature is going up. A year ago, Palm Digital Media was charging a mere $750 for 500 titles. This would all be a hoot except that real schools and parents have been gouged.

Irony Department: So far, I haven’t found a free version of Free Air, which at least two Amazon.com visitors loved (I found no other comments on the paperback reprint). Pub date was apparently 1919, so this looks like fodder for Distributed Proofreaders.

Related: Exit, Valenti, in the Lessig blog–guest blogger Tim Wu‘s wonderful collection of cherished Valenti-isms. Example: “A public domain work is an orphan. No one is responsible for its life. But everyone exploits its use, until that time certain when it becomes soiled and haggard, barren of its previous virtues. How does the consumer benefit from the steady decline of a film’s quality?” What insights for film, music, literature and other areas! Thank goodness that the Gershwin estate can protect the quality of “Rhapsody in Blue” by making a killing off the use of “Rhapsody” in United Airlines commercials! One shudders to think of “Rhapsody” being in the public domain for young musicians to perform without royalties. Three cheers for Bono!

Follow-up: There’s One Born Every Minute–Ernest Miller’s comments on the gouge (via Copyright).

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