When changing the format of a work licensed under CC BY-ND, may I change the number of files?

Question

I want to redistribute a work licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0.

While I’m not allowed to omit parts of the work, I’m allowed to change its format:

When I release my work under a CC license in one format (e.g., .pdf), can I restrict licensees from changing it to or using it in other formats?

No. CC licenses grant permission to use the licensed material in any media or format regardless of the format in which it has been made available. This is true even if you have applied a NoDerivatives license to your work. Once a CC license is applied to a work in one format or medium, a licensee may use the same work in any other format or medium without violating the licensor’s copyright.

Now I wonder how much freedom I have in changing the format. Is it allowed to make one file into several (and vice versa)?

• If the work is published as a collection of HTML files, may I concatenate these HTML files and publish them as a single PDF file?

• If the work is published as a single PDF file, may I publish it separated into several HTML files (e.g., a HTML file per PDF page or per chapter)?

Bonus question:

• If that’s allowed, may I also do this if the format does not change? For example, a single PDF into multiple PDFs, or multiple HTML files into a single HTML file?

Answer 1

The way I'd read this is that the answer to all three of your questions is: yes.

From the FAQ answer you quoted:

Once a CC license is applied to a work in one format or medium, a licensee may use the same work in any other format or medium ...

As you correctly stated, you can't omit parts of a work under an ND license. So as long as everything is intact, you can put it in any format you like. You can print it, bind it, post it online, put it in a PDF... there is no restriction. Post a PDF work in multiple HTML files if you like - just make sure everything is still clearly linked and 'together' as part of one work.

And, no matter what format you put the work in, make sure you still make it clear what license the whole work is under.

Finally, IANAL :)