ISBN numbers are an Intellectual Property
.. says Harvard bookstore, Coop.
The Harvard Crimson reports that students writing down ISBN numbers of required books in the official store are not welcomed.
The problem lies in the appropriate course web pages which are missing ISBN numbers of required books, thus students are taking the easiest way: looking at the store.
Of course this alone wouldn’t had caused a problem, but some started maintaining a website to get an up to date comparison of book prices between online stores.
For example the book Digital Design: Principles and Practices Package (4th Edition) by John F. Wakerly (for 141 Computer Hardware course) can be bought for as low as $33 as used, while new prices start at $130.
This system is nothing extraordinaire, but the way Coop reacted: ISBN numbers are an intellectual property. Students offered a solution: create an official course database with ISBN numbers. Declined. Now they started a legal battle.
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