Skip to main content

eBook and Audiobook Terms

LAST UPDATED: October 21, 2022

TERMS OF USE AND LICENSE FOR AUDIOBOOKS AND EBOOKS (“Terms”)

Thank you for your purchase of this electronic publication (“eProduct,” whether downloadable or in physical format, including without limitation CD, USB, eBook, Audiobook, or otherwise) from the Christian Science Online Shop (“Shop”). Access to and use of this eProduct is subject to U.S. and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws and the following Terms. All intellectual property rights are reserved to the copyright and trademark holders. All rights not expressly granted are reserved. No permission is given to make or distribute copies of eProducts not legitimately obtained, including eProducts borrowed from Christian Science Reading Rooms or from friends.

Please note that these Terms only apply to non-music eProducts (spoken word audiobooks or text eBooks) purchased or otherwise accessed through the Shop. If you have questions about how you can use music recordings from the Shop, please visit shop.christianscience.com/musicterms.

A few examples of the various eProducts to which these Terms apply include:

eBooks

  • Mary Baker Eddy: Christian Healer – eBook
  • A World More Bright: The Life of Mary Baker Eddy – eBook
  • Christian Science Hymnal (Hymns 1–429) – Words Only – eBook
  • Wissenschaft und Gesundheit mit Schlüssel zur Heiligen Schrift – eBook

Audiobooks

  • Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (Audiobook Download)
  • Mary Baker Eddy: Christian Healer – Audiobook (USB)
  • Anthology of Classic Articles, Volume 2 – Audiobook (CD)

Please note that other downloadable or electronic publications and subscription products available from The Christian Science Publishing Society (“CSPS”), The Office of the Publisher’s Agent (“OPA”), or on ChristianScience.com, even if available through the Shop, have their own Terms of Use, which may differ significantly from these Terms. These other publications and products include, without limitation, The Christian Science Monitor, the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lessons, the periodicals and other downloadable content from Christian Science JSH-Online, Concord, or the Daily Lift.

If You have any questions about these Terms, please contact our Customer Care Center at shop@christianscience.com.

A. License
This license is granted by CSPS or OPA, as applicable, only to the individual or institution purchasing this eProduct or receiving this eProduct as a gift (“You”). This eProduct is licensed for Your personal use only, which may extend to the sharing options outlined below. Note that usage permissions may vary depending on whether You are an individual or an institution, as described below. Please note that “personal use” does not include sharing the eProduct, in whole or in part, whether information, data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, video, button icons, logos, graphics, video, messages or other materials, and the compilation of such materials, as incorporated in the eProduct and the descriptive material on the Shop (together, the “Content”).

As an eProduct purchaser, You may place copies of a purchased eProduct on a reasonable number of devices You own or control for Your personal use. These copies must be complete; without editing or extracting.

You may also log into Your account on the Christian Science Online Shop (“Shop”) to restore a purchased eProduct, as long as the eProduct is still offered in the Shop (note that for some eProducts purchased prior to November 2, 2020, You will need to contact us at shop@christianscience.com to obtain reauthorization to download additional copies). It is Your responsibility not to lose, destroy, or damage a purchased eProduct. We encourage You to back up Your eProducts regularly. Once an eProduct is no longer offered in the Shop, You will no longer be able to restore it.

B. Sharing Content

Except as expressly authorized in these Terms, you may not:

  • Reproduce, distribute, or publish the Content, or share copies thereof with others in any form via printed copies, internet, intranet, social media, email, file sharing, posting files on a website or archive, or other electronic or physical means;
  • Broadcast, stream, transmit, archive, publicly perform (play), or publicly display copies of the Content;
  • Make any commercial or for-profit use of the Content;
  • Modify the Content or make derivative works that include the Content, in whole or in part, without written permission from CSPS or OPA, as applicable.

C. Authorized Sharing of Content

  1. For Individual Purchasers
    1. Family Sharing

      You may share the original eProduct, or make one digital copy of a purchased eProduct to share with members of Your immediate family for their personal use, provided that they do not further reproduce or distribute the eProduct or copy. Such family sharing is authorized for one additional copy of any particular eProduct. Each shared copy must be complete as published, without editing or extracting, and all copyright information must be included. Please inform Your family members of these Terms when sharing eProducts with them. If more copies are desired for long-term use and retention by multiple family members, please consider purchasing additional copies to show support for the mission of The First Church of Christ, Scientist.

      Non-related housemates, dorm mates, neighbors, and friends are welcome to purchase their own copies of eProducts in whatever format they prefer.

    2. Other Individual Sharing

      Individual purchasers may play (non-music) audio eProducts in private in-person or online group settings, such as a gathering of friends or in a private Zoom meeting which is not being recorded.

  2. For Institutional Purchasers

    Further to section A. License, Institutional purchasers, such as Christian Science care facilities, churches (including Sunday Schools), Reading Rooms, camps, and schools, may play (non-music) audio eProducts during private in-person or online group settings. Such settings could include via a closed-circuit audio system, in a classroom, in a camp or school meeting, or in a private Zoom meeting which is not being recorded.

    Institutional purchasers may make up to 3 additional copies of eProduct files for backup purposes, but should not further distribute those copies. These copies must be complete; without editing or extracting. Institutional purchasers may loan a device containing the file to their residents, membership, patrons, campers and/or students, etc. Reading Rooms may not allow patrons to copy eProducts from the Reading Room's computer onto personal electronic devices, recordable CDs, or otherwise.

  3. Sharing of Screens

    Individual and institutional purchasers are always welcome to allow others to privately read text eProducts from the purchaser’s device screen. However, public displays of text-based eProducts, such as by Reading Rooms, should be done in accordance with the Display guidelines.

To inquire about other uses of eProducts not expressly permitted in these Terms, please contact permissions@csps.com.

Finally, use of eProducts is further subject to the terms and conditions of use which were accepted at the time you completed your purchase of the particular eProduct from the point of purchase. Please see https://shop.christianscience.com/terms-of-service/.