Platonides wrote:
"gwern branwen":
*Can* we sue? My understanding was that if they sold us copies and then tried to restrict redistribution of those PD works (and no EULA or contract was signed) simply through copyright mechanisms, then we'd have some sort of legal recourse, but that we can't demand that they make the works physically available simply because they happen to be PD if they decline to have us as customers.
--Gwern
IANAL so don't trust me, but i don't think someone could force me to pay for a PD material. However they would probably ask you a fee for sending you it or having saved it for X years :-( Lawyers should be consulted.
But you cannot force them to give it to you either. They if they own a copy, can offer to sell it to you. A real property transaction. You can decline to pay and they can decline to give you a copy.
SKL