Reading a book without publisher permission

[dominogirl42]

I am wondering if I can read a children’s book either in an audio or video presentation without the publishers permission if

the buyer owns a copy of the book

they do not own it but have a copy from the library

Or they do not own it at all

[ulrich_germania]

Hello @dominogirl42 first, i thought, of course you can read a book, books are made for reading, but then I understood, that “they / someone” wants to give you a job to voice read the book for commercial reasons, like: Producing an Audiobook. This of course, can only done with the permission of the owner of the copyright of the book.
– > However, you can record your reading and sell it. If the buyer has no right (copyright) and publishes your reading, than he will surely get serious problems. You must request from the buyer that he bears all rights to order this and keeps you harmless in case of any claims for liability. <-- But please look up the right lawspeech in the TOS of Internetcompanys like Youtube and even Fiverr. They all publish photos, videos and audios, not knowing if the uploader has the right to publish this media. The uploader is liable. (But additionally, nowadays Youtube and FB check with robots if copyrighted music is uploaded and block it sometimes…)

Like: If someone uses a photo as a cover for a book, but does not have the right to use it, the owner of the photo cannot hold Amazon or the printing company liable for publishing the book with this photo on the cover. Amazon or the printing house only did their jobs for people who should really know what they are allowed to publish.

While writing this, I found an exception: If some, example, blind person or children cannot read the book and “someone” asks you to read it and your reading performance is only published within a family or for a friend i.e. to private person, like the blind one, without any commerical background, then the buyer of the audio gig must not ask the copyright owner. It would be like mother reads aloud for her children, privat, no business, no copyright infringement.