&gt;Since when have we asked authors permission to add their book to a library?<p>As far as I know, libraries in the US purchase their materials like anyone else. They have the right to lend due to the Doctrine of First Sale[1], because what they lend they legally own.<p>&gt;In many places (including the US) if you publish a book it is mandatory to submit it to a library.<p>According to Wikipedia, in the US publishers are required to submit two copies of a published work to the Library of Congress[0], not to distribute copies to public libraries.<p>[0]<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Legal_deposit#United_States" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Legal_deposit#United_States</a><p>[1]<a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ala.org&#x2F;advocacy&#x2F;copyright&#x2F;copyrightarticle&#x2F;librariescreatures" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ala.org&#x2F;advocacy&#x2F;copyright&#x2F;copyrightarticle&#x2F;libra...</a>