Out-Law News 1 min. read

Google suspends library plan over copyright concerns


Google has suspended part of a plan to digitally scan certain library collections so that books can be matched to internet search queries – in order that copyright holders can let the company know of any books that should not be scanned.

In a blog posting, Adam Smith, Google Print Product Manager, confirmed that the scanning of in-copyright books was on hold until November.

“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,” he wrote. “But we know that not everyone agrees, and we want to do our best to respect their views too.”

“So now, any and all copyright holders – both Google Print partners and non-partners – can tell us which books they’d prefer that we not scan if we find them in a library,” he added.

Google launched the Print for Libraries scheme in December, as an extension of its Google Print project, which initially targeted publishers.

The idea is that users searching online will see links on their results pages when there are books relevant to their query. Clicking on a title will deliver a page from which users can either browse the full text of the work – if copyright has expired – or brief excerpts and/or bibliographic data where the work is still protected by copyright.

According to Google, the programme will increase the viability of in and out of print books and generate book sales via "Buy this Book" links and advertising. Users on the other hand, will be able to search across library collections, including out of print books and titles that weren't previously available anywhere but on a library shelf.

The libraries of Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, and the University of Oxford as well as The New York Public Library signed up to the programme. But publishers, who were initially excited by the Google Print project, and signed up eagerly to the Print for Publishers programme, soon began expressing reservations.

Their concerns related to copyright, and how, in view of the whole-scale scanning of copyrighted works being undertaken by the search giant, Google proposed to protect the rights of authors and publishers.

The dispute has been rumbling on for months, resulting in Google’s announcement on Friday that the scanning of in-copyright works had been halted temporarily.

But publishers associations are still not happy.

According to Patricia Schroeder, President and CEO of the Association of American Publishers, "Google's announcement does nothing to relieve the publishing industry's concerns".

"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," she explained.

We are processing your request. \n Thank you for your patience. An error occurred. This could be due to inactivity on the page - please try again.