I just don't see why people complain about a standard costing money?
IBC, IRC, NFPA... all cost money if you want a conveniently bound, personally owned, privately accessed copy. That's the cost of doing business. Keith, as usual, you have no backup to your extraordinary claims and instead provide a moot counterargument regarding law, so I'm not inclined to believe you that you got a full copy for free until proven otherwise.
The project I'm doing right now demands that the contractor follow MUTCD standards for signage and markers for temporary traffic control. You think I'm gonna rubber-band a copy of this standard for him? No, he's a bridge and roadway contractor, he can dang well go buy the book himself... any contractor worth a crap would because any competent and professional individual working in the specific business/industry is going to do so.
If you don't have the money to get into business, then don't get into business in the first place... no one is going to PAY YOU to have your own tools and resources. You get paid for your product. I am darn sure that everyone charges an "overhead" rate per hour. That overhead includes the "cost of business" and $50 or whatever it is... is a drop in the bucket not even worth whining about.