Books on the Net – Google’s Plan
Internet has opened everything on Information Technology, excepting printed books and this may be changed by Google. Millions of books that have gone out-of-print have been scanned. An agreement reached in this regard with publishers and writers awaits judicial approval for making them available to all.
World’s books are yet to be available widely and the service to get access to them concerns about privacy, while it increases access to knowledge no doubt. Google’s goal was to provide a voluminous database for books in major libraries that could be accessed by Internet users from homes or local libraries.
After fumbling to scan the books without permission from right holders, who sued Google, it reached a settlement with those parties. A New York federal Court would hear the case this fall amidst hot contests by opponents.
The efforts by Google would mean millions of books out of print can be accessed at no cost on the net. Just like a Harvard Professor, many freelance writers and students of community colleges can access those books.
Financially, authors and publishers can gain by the cut in revenue of 63%, while Google charges users to access copyrighted books from their computers and by selling online ads. The payments would be routed through a books rights registry.
Joe’s Online Library and Microsoft may be competing Google’s service, but if the settlement is through it could give monopoly power to sell “orphaned’ books, whose owners could not be located. The Department of Justice and the Court should ensure adequate protections for this while reviewing the settlement.
Google has a big job ahead in respecting privacy of people accessing these books.
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