Received "Lessons: An Autobiography" by An Wang with Eugene Linden used book from USA; Saw it is US public library discard; Legality of purchase of US library discarded books
Last updated on 23rd June 2021
First an extract from a previous post: Chinese-American computer pioneer An Wang (1920-1990) and Wang Laboratories founded by him: some aspects of their history of interest to me - Part 1 , https://ravisiyermisc.blogspot.com/2021/04/chinese-american-computer-pioneer-wang.html , 1st April 2021 :
An Wang's wiki page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Wang , is interesting. But the IEEE Computers bio (referred to as 'IEEE bio' later in this post) is more detailed: https://history.computer.org/pioneers/wang.html . Note that the IEEE Computers bio states, "This material is drawn largely from Wang's 1986 didactic autobiography (Wang 1986)". This refers to the book Lessons by An Wang (with Eugene Linden), https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Lessons.html?id=CSTxxSaJPGQC&redir_esc=y .
I could not locate a PDF version of the book or an Indian printer-seller of the book. There are sellers on amazon.in who import used/new hardcover/paperback version of this book and where I pay in Indian Rupees, https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/0201094002 . After some thought, I placed an order on 31st March 2021 for a used hard cover copy priced around Rs.1230/- which is on the steep side for me, given my retired-from-commercial-work lower middle class Indian lifestyle. However, as Wang VS computers played such a vital role in establishing myself as an international software techie professional in my commercial work days, I felt it was worth paying that much to get a copy of An Wang's autobiography book. As the book probably has to be shipped from USA to India and go through Indian customs, the delivery time period is expected to be between 2 to 5 weeks.
--- end extract ---
I received the above ordered book on 29th April and I opened the package on 1st May. It took around a month for the book to be shipped from USA and delivered to my doorstep in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, India.
The book itself is in good condition for a used book. I am happy about that.
Some pics of the book are given below.
[To open pic in larger resolution, right-click on pic followed by open link (NOT image) in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.]
Above pic: Front cover of book.
"An Wang's accomplishments, and his desire to repay society for offering him a chance, should inspire all of us to keep America the land of opportunity. The Horatio Alger story is still very much alive, only the names have changed" - Robert N. Noyce, Vice Chairman, Intel Corporation
"[LESSONS] is a fascinating story of accomplishment by a man gifted with a brilliant mind yet dedicated to the enduring principles of hard work, high integrity, and thoughtfulness for his fellow man. This is a book every young aspiring entrepreneur should read. It is a story of the opportunity that is America, a brilliant path for others to follow.' - David Packard, Chairman of the Board, Hewlett-Packard Company
"LESSONS will be one of the classic success stories of American business history—a pleasure to read because clearly told, very personal and straightforward, an inside account of how one man could combine the skills of computer technology and entrepreneurial management.' - John K. Fair..., Francis Lee ..., History, Eme...
"An immigrant educated in Massachusetts, An Wang is the consummate entrepreneur—an enterprising innovator whose dedicated idealism has gone beyond the boardroom and given meaning and direction to a host of community, artistic, and charitable organizations.... His story is what the American dream is all about. - Michael Dukakis, Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
--- end text extracts from back cover of book ---
Michael Dukakis, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Dukakis , was governor of Massachusetts during both of my assignment stints (around 19 months in total) in second half of 1980s in Wang Labs., Lowell, Massachusetts. I have a hazy recollection of seeing billboards perhaps on Massachusetts highway road(s) /toll plaza(s) of his US presidential campaign in 1988 against George H. W. Bush, where Dukakis was the Democratic Party nominee and which Dukakis lost. I think Gov. Dukakis' words of praise for An Wang are very significant as I think he spoke for the people of Massachusetts, USA. I think they show that An Wang was able to touch the lives of, and contribute in some way to bettering the lives of, many people in Massachusetts beyond Wang Labs. and beyond tech. field. That is a great achievement of An Wang, in my considered view.
I saw that the book is from Brockton public library, Massachusetts, USA - please see below pic which is of the first inner pages of the book. Note the somewhat faded blueish 'DISCARD' stamp (upside down and slanted) on "DATE DUE" label on inner cover page and on "BROCKTON PUBLIC LIBRARY" text on 1st inner page.
Next pic below is of last inner pages of the book:
Note the library card and its holder!
The next pic is of pages 50 & 51 of the book with page 51 having a "PUBLIC LIBRARY BROCKTON, MASS." stamp, which informed me that the concerned library was in Brockton, Massachusetts, USA.
The 'Discard' stamp across the Brockton public library stamp in first inner pages of the book indicates that it is a book discarded by the library. As this is the first time I have ever bought such a 'discarded' public library book, I wondered whether the 'Discard' stamp means that though the book once belonged to Brockton public library, it later was sold/discarded by Brockton public library and so my purchase of it through amazon.in, is fully legal.
I emailed to the amazon.in seller "Fast Media 2" which seems to be USA based. They were very polite and responsive and even offered to compensate me partly if I continued to use the book or compensate me fully if I returned the book. I wrote them the following on 2nd May 2021:
"Well, this is the first time I am buying a used book via amazon.in (or any other online store), and this is the first time, if I recall correctly, that the used book I have bought is a 'DISCARD' from a public library. Now I am fine with it if the 'DISCARD' from public library makes it a proper sale. I don't know what is the policy of public libraries in USA, in particular in the state of Massachusetts, in this regard. I was hoping that you folks would know and tell me whether 'DISCARD's from public libraries are legal to re-purchase. If so, no problem. I am fine with the purchase of this book.
If not, then I would like to inform the Brockton, Massachusetts, USA public library of this matter and seek their advice on what I should do with the book.
As you folks may not know the answer to my legality question on this re-purchase, I would like to write to Brockton, Massachusetts, USA public library directly and ask them about this legality issue. This seems to be their website - http://www.brocktonpubliclibrary.org/ which lists btlib@ocln.org as the email id of their main library. I plan to do this in the next day or so."
On the same day, I sent an update mail to them:
"An update:
I browsed the net for the matter. Here's an interesting link: Discarded Delights: The Joy of Ex-Library Books, https://www.abebooks.com/books/ex-library-books/index.shtml . Going by the article, I think the book item I got seems to be legal for me to purchase (and legal for the seller to sell) as the book clearly has the DISCARD stamp on it. So the Brockton public library seems to have marked the book as "DISCARD" and then either given it away or sold it to somebody and that has made it through you, to me. Seems legal to me.
I will send an email to Brockton public library to just confirm that there is no issue with me having purchased this book that they seem to have 'DISCARD'ed."
Fast Media - 2 responded on 2nd May itself that the purchase I made with them is absolutely legal.
On 2nd May itself I emailed to Brockton Public Library as follows (text part, pics omitted):
"To The Librarian,
Brockton Public Library
btlib@ocln.org
Dear sir/madam,
I bought a used copy of the book, "Lessons: An Autobiography" by An Wang with Eugene Linden, on amazon.in shopping portal - https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/0201094002/ . The book was shipped to me from USA I think, and I received it a few days back.
It is after I received the book that I came to know that it is a Brockton Public Library (Massachusetts, USA), 'DISCARD'ed book.
I learned that such books are viewed as ex-library books (Ref: Discarded Delights: The Joy of Ex-Library Books, https://www.abebooks.com/books/ex-library-books/index.shtml ).
But I wanted to confirm from Brockton Public Library that this book whose low-resolution pics are attached to this mail, is no longer owned by Brockton Public Library. [If you want hi-resolution pics, I can send them too.]
Please let me know if you disagree i.e. your view is that Brockton Public Library is the current owner of this book (even though it has a 'DISCARD' stamp on it).
Thanks & Regards
Ravi S. Iyer
[Rest of email signature snipped]"
Today is 10th June 2021. So far I have not received any response for above mail. I did check SPAM folder in the first few days after I sent the mail to see if any response had gone into SPAM - at that time it had not. Today I checked the SPAM folder for any response and did not find any (last mail in SPAM folder is dated May 25th).
Now I think I have done the needful to verify that my purchase of the 'discard'ed book is legal. It would have been great if Brockton public library had sent me an email response confirming that they no longer own the book as it has been 'discard'ed. But they did not respond. I have to simply presume that they no longer own the book as there is a 'DISCARD' stamp on it.
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Update on 23rd Jun. 2021: I had shared this blog post link on my LinkedIn posts page, where an old American colleague who I worked with on a software project in Wang Labs. in Lowell, Mass. in second half of 1980s, commented a week or so back. He said that the book is mine and I can enjoy it. He also said that he lives close to Brockton and if there are any issues, he can visit the library and sort it out. Readers can view the exact comment here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ravi-s-iyer-13a55310_received-lessons-an-autobiography-by-an-activity-6808740652629794816-dfUY/ .
I responded to him (slightly edited): "Great to hear from you, --name-snipped--! Thanks for your valuable view. Good to know that you live close to Brockton. As of now, I think the issue is settled.
Thanks for your encouragement about trying "to do the right thing".
Best wishes to you too, --name-snipped--."
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