Open Access NewsNews from the open access movement Jump to navigation |
|||
Publisher division deepening on Google book-scanning
VNU Staff, Publishers call for library digitisation boycott at Book Fair, Information World Review, March 10, 2006. Excerpt:
Google used the London Book Fair (LBF) as a platform to reach out to a wary book trade, as it revealed plans to expand its controversial Library Project to include European libraries. On the eve of the fair, Bloomsbury, which includes Whos'e Who publisher A&C Black , c.e.o. Nigel Newton called on the industry to boycott Google's search engine "until it desists from its present misguided mission in the world of books". He described Google as "a false prophet" engaged in "acts of 'kleptomania'". But Jens Redmer, director of Google Book Search in Europe, told IWR sister title The Bookseller that Google is talking to further library partners in all major European countries. Google is currently working with only four American libraries and the Bodleian in Oxford. Redmer added that in-copyright works would not be scanned in Europe, where copyright laws are "significantly different" to the US. PS: Some publishers are acting on a faith-based fear of harm and some are acting on an evidence-based record of benefit. |