Is there a list of which publishers are giving you an ebook if you own the physical book?

[Eric]

Hopefully, going forward publishers will do what record companies are doing when you buy a record (or Amazon does when you buy a CD; Or Marvel does when you buy a comic) and give you the digital version free or for a nominal cost (Like $0.99).

But right now, I've been hearing in onesies/twosies that some publishers are giving out free copies of eBooks if you can prove you own the physical book. (One of them has you write your name on the copyright page so if the book leaves your control, someone else can't redeem the eBook) Does anyone know of a list of publishers doing this? I'm trying to clear up physical shelf space, but before I pack my books away somewhere inaccessible, I'd prefer to have them in eBook form (and NOT have to pay AGAIN - in some cases I've even bought these books in MS's LIT format and lost the DRM keys so I'd be buying it again again).

Thanks

[ladymurmur]

Angry Robot has their "Clonefiles" initiative with participating brick & mortar books stores in the UK and the US.

Baen has been known to include a CD in the hardcover editions of new books containing ebooks for the complete series to date. That's how I got the first 10 Honor Harrington ebooks free!

[Eric]

ladymurmur wrote: "Angry Robot has their "Clonefiles" initiative with participating brick & mortar books stores in the UK and the US.

Baen has been known to include a CD in the hardcover editions of new books conta..."

Ooooh! I'm going to have to look into that Baen thing! I have a few Baen books I bought a while back. I tend to like their digital policy.

[Ken]

I too hope that it will become more universal for the e-book to be free with purchase or nearly free. It's a digital, infinitely reproducible format. Any individual copy holds no monetary intrinsic value. Of course the formatting and such for e-book readers deserves compensation, but on the whole the product is finished by the time that happens.

[Eric]

Kenneth wrote: "I too hope that it will become more universal for the e-book to be free with purchase or nearly free. It's a digital, infinitely reproducible format. Any individual copy holds no monetary intrinsic..."

Yeah, which is why I'm fine paying a max of $2 for the ebook. I recognize there is some formatting to be done and while server space is infinitesimally cheap, it's not free. But since most of the money should be for the creator, then physical costs of book, then layouts for both book and ebook (which should be - check what's wrong and fix it), I wouldn't pay more than a couple bucks. At that point I'd rather cut my losses and just buy the ebook.

[Ben]

There's a group of indie game publishers who offer free digital versions of you buy their products through your FLGS. They're called Bits and Mortar.

Joe Hill has also been tweeting recently about how the digital version of Heart-Shaped Box is available for free if you already have the physical copy and you use the BitLit app. At the BitLit website, they maintain a list of participating publishers.