So, there's an NPC Alchemist in one of the towns who wants a copy of Song of the Alchemists. Most books in the game, there seem to be dozens of copies of. However, the only copy I've found so far is the one at the quest marker for this quest, and it happens to be in the bards college.

Is there really only one copy, and I have to steal it? Or, maybe if I join the bards college (which I have no interest in doing on this character), I can get it for free? Is there some way I can just *buy* a copy from the bard's college? I mean seriously, I don't mind shelling out 50 or 100 septims to commission a scribe to make another copy. Is stealing it (or maybe joining the college) really my only options? That would make absolutely no sense.

UESP says there is another copy in http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Anise%27s_Cabin.

Thank u

It's just incredibly stupid that you can't just pay the bards to make a copy. Apparently, even though they can read, none of them can write.