Your own example demonstrates the fallacy of your argument. You use the example that an infinite lending tree will result in no new creative works, because there is no value in creating it.

It seems to me that people have been sharing books in exactly this type of fashion for hundreds (thousands?) of years, yet new creative works still seem to be produced in this industry.

I know for a fact that I have "borrowed" a book from my mom, who in turn borrowed it from her aunt, who in turn got it from who knows where.

This example comes right back to the same thing we know about people who downloading music using Napster. They in fact ended up BUYING more music not less, even though the RIAA tries to ignore this fact. Often times when I receive a book in this way, I end up liking the author's work and in turn buy his other books. Had I not read the first one, I would have ignored him completely.

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