Google Print Library Project

From ScottWiki

See also the main Google Print page.

December 27, 2004

Questions and answers about the Google Print project.

January 10, 2005

A article in the University Record, at the University of Michigan, describes the Google Print library project, giving details of how copyright and out-of-copyright books will be handled. It notes that the library will receive full quality copies of all the digitised material. It also includes examples of U of M library material already available over Google Print. (see below)

March 15, 2005

A report about potential copyright problems with the library projects, in the Harvard Crimson.

April 20, 2005

A quote from a University of Michigan librarian about image quality:

“Are the images perfect?” Wilkin asked rhetorically. “They’re good enough for mainstream materials. They’re at least as good as what we’re doing [on our own].”

August 14, 2005

Google postpones the Google Library project. [1]

Reaction in Europe

March 24

An article in Le Monde babelfish. Jean-Noël Jeanneney, the director of the French national library, warns of the danger of US cultural hegemony on the internet, exemplified by the English language focus of the Google Print project. Chirac indicates strong support for a European project, promising financial support. The most interesting quote (my translation): 'We think Google has underestimated the cost of the operation, unless the technological advance is truely major.'

March 31

Chirac demands a European response. [2] See also [3]

April 27

19 European libraries agree to coordinate on digitisation projects. [4]

Examples in copyright

• Searching for 'GATT', the first result is The Role of GATT in Relation to Trade and Development
• Searching for 'book about pioneer life' at google provides books results, the first of which is a book still under copyright, scanned from the Michigan library.

Examples from the public domain

Examples

• Searching for 'Books and Culture Mabie' returns [5] as the first result. If you look there, you'll see Google Print's usual page limitations are not applied.
• Darwin, and afer Darwin from the U of M library, has its full text available.