This is what happens when you let the camel's nose into the tent. Likely encouraged by the Pirate Bay verdict, a lobbying group in Finland is
now threatening to sue Bookabooka, a web site that helps students rent their textbooks, on the grounds of copyright violation. Note that these are not (legal or bootleg) e-books, these are the actual, original, printed objects. And Bookabooka does not handle the books or the money; they simply connect the students who have and want a particular book.

Once upon a time, when you bought a book, you could do with it what you wished -- read it, loan it, re-sell it, burn it -- anything but make additional copies. Gradually the RIAA and MPAA and their foreign kin are working to reduce your rights, and demand more money from you. You can still rent your textbooks in the U.S. But be on guard; new precedents are being set, and new legislation being written, every year.