Rare booksellers are increasingly flagging unusual bulk orders, noting that most legitimate customers typically purchase one book—or a small number of specific titles—rather than thousands of books across a broad range of subjects.
Just yesterday, Irish bookstore Kennys flagged an order for 5,000 unspecified titles listed as “Bananas,” according to the Irish Times. The report said the order appeared suspicious because, unlike bulk purchases from universities or major libraries, the buyer made no effort to negotiate the price. Booksellers now view that behavior as a potential “red flag” indicating that an AI company may be involved.
Although some booksellers could benefit financially from large orders in the short term, many fear that selling books to AI companies that indiscriminately dismantle rare collections could ultimately “mean signing one’s own death warrant,” the Irish Times reported.
Thomas Kenny of Kennys Bookshop told the newspaper that artificial intelligence is “terrifying our industry.” He said the bookstore plans to reject orders intended for AI training in an effort to protect authors’ rights and preserve readers’ access to hard-to-find books.
“Booksellers tend to be at the forefront of many moral dilemmas and political and ethical issues, and in most scenarios it’s not for me to decide,” he said. “But if you’re taking books out and scanning them for the purpose of obtaining intellectual property, the Kennys don’t want to be part of that.”
Growing public concern could encourage major technology companies to support preservation models similar to the Internet Archive, which prioritize the physical protection of rare books alongside digital preservation. Without stronger safeguards, however, rare titles could become even harder to find—an especially troubling prospect for people who value the experience of holding historic books in their hands.
Zhang understands the appeal of rare books. During his work, he occasionally pauses to scan part of a title and read it. When asked what he enjoys most about the job, Zhang responded with the enthusiasm shared by many book lovers browsing the shelves of stores like Kennys.
“Everything! I think everything is interesting,” Zhang said. “I never feel bored. Every collection is important to me.”
Source: arstechnica.com