From: Goldman, Ava (Ava_Goldman@CalPERS.CA.GOV)
Date: Fri Aug 12 2005 - 13:30:23 PDT
Subject: FW: Google Halts Scanning of Copyrighted Books Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 13:30:23 -0700 Message-ID: <781B30BA0EB0904F8203EC15339A3B690460E77C@hqk110.calpers.ca.gov> From: "Goldman, Ava" <Ava_Goldman@CalPERS.CA.GOV>
Cross-posted.
Ava Goldman
Senior Librarian, Human Resources, ASTD, 916-795-1533
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050812/ap_on_hi_te/google_library_copyright
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By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Business Writer
1 hour, 27 minutes ago
SAN FRANCISCO - Stung by a publishing industry backlash, Google Inc. has
halted its efforts to scan copyrighted books from some of the nation's
largest university libraries so the material can be indexed in its
leading Internet search engine.
The company announced the suspension, effective until November, in a
notice posted on its Web site just before midnight Thursday by Adam
Smith, the manager of its ambitious program to convert millions of books
into a digital format.
"We think most publishers and authors will choose to participate in the
publisher program in order (to) introduce their work to countless
readers around the world," Smith wrote. "But we know that not everyone
agrees, and we want to do our best to respect their views too."
Google wants publishers to notify the company which copyrighted books
they don't want scanned, effectively requiring the industry to opt out
of the program instead of opting in.
That approach rankled the Association of American Publishers.
"Google's announcement does nothing to relieve the publishing industry's
concerns," Patricia Schroeder, the trade group's president, said in a
statement Friday. "Google's procedure shifts the responsibility for
preventing infringement to the copyright owner rather than the user,
turning every principle of copyright law on its ear."
Google wants to scan copyright-protected books from three major
libraries - Harvard, Michigan and Stanford.
The company also is scanning books stored at the New York Public Library
and Oxford University, but those two libraries so far are providing
Google only with "public domain" works - material no longer protected by
copyrights.
Google hasn't disclosed how many books it has scanned since it first
announced the program eight months ago. The company expects to be
scanning books for at least five years - and probably much longer if it
can persuade other libraries around the world to participate.
The project troubles publishers because they fear making digital
versions of copyrighted books available on the Internet could open the
door to unauthorized duplication and distribution, similar to the
rampant online pirating that has decimated the sales in the music
industry.
Publishers are also upset that Google might be able to generate more
advertising revenue by offering an index of copyrighted books and so far
hasn't offered to pay any royalties for its potential financial gains.
Mountain View, Calif.-based Google ranks among the Internet's most
profitable companies, having earned $712 million on revenue of $2.6
billion during the first half of this year.
Google executives have positioned the scanning project as a largely
altruistic endeavor that will make it easier for people around the world
to read the valuable - and often rare - material stockpiled in
libraries. The company hasn't disclosed how much the project will cost,
but it's expected to require a substantial investment.
The attacks on Google's handling of copyrighted material extend beyond
books.
One of Google's most popular features - a section that compiles news
stories posted on thousands of Web sites - also has triggered claims of
copyright infringement. Agence France-Presse, a French news agency, is
suing for damages of at least $17.5 million, alleging "Google News" is
illegally capitalizing on its copyrighted material.
___
On The Net:
Google notice of change in program:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/08/making-books-easier-to-find.html
Association of American Publishers: http://www.publishers.org
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