[Legend2440]

>Turning a copy over to the public or state might be an interesting requirement for obtaining a copyright

This has been a requirement in the US since 1790. It is called mandatory deposit: https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/mandatory_deposit.html

They don't keep every book though.

[juliendorra]

> They don't keep every book though. In France they do! And other countries too I think. The French national library is also scanning everything (or trying at least) including copyrighted material (but you can’t access it except if you are a researcher and from their own physical place last I checked)

[s1artibartfast]

Oh, that is fascinating! I stand corrected. Then the question is really about non copyrighted works