Google Readies Google Editions e-Book Store

"Google is ready to crack the cover of its electronic bookstore. As the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday, it plans to open its Google Editions site by the end of this month."

French Deal May Break Deadlock Between Google and Publishers

"A new agreement between Hachette Livre and Google could offer a way forward in the ongoing dispute between authors, publishers and the search engine over the digitising of out-of-print books."

New Research Suggest Google Book Search Helps Publishers A Lot More Than It Hurts

"Michael Scott points us to a new research paper from law professor Hannibal Travis, that tries to look at the actual economic impact of Google's book scanning on publishers, and finds that the falling sky claims from publishers and critics simply isn't supported by the evidence."

Google to Launch Digital Books by Early Summer

"Google Inc. will begin selling digital books in late June or July, a company representative said Tuesday, jumping into battle that already involves Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc. and Barnes & Noble Inc."

Visual Artists Plan to Sue Google Over Digital-Library Project

"In another potential setback for the vast digital library planned by Google, several groups representing photographers and other visual artists plan to file a federal lawsuit against the company on Wednesday, alleging that its efforts to digitize millions of library books amounts to a large-scale infringement of their copyrights, The New York Times reported."

Thousands of Authors Opt Out of Google Book Settlement

"Some 6,500 writers, from Thomas Pynchon to Jeffrey Archer, have opted out of Google's controversial plan to digitise millions of books."

Justice Dept. Criticizes Latest Google Book Deal

"In another blow to Google's plan to create a giant digital library and bookstore, the Justice Department on Thursday said that a class-action settlement between the company and groups representing authors and publishers had significant legal problems, even after recent revisions."

Google's Goal: Digitize Every Book Ever Printed

An interview with "Daniel Clancy, an engineer and the director of Google Books."

France Slaps Google Over Book-Scanning Plans

"A Paris court ruled that Google is breaking French law with its policy of digitizing books, handing the U.S. Internet giant a $14,300-a-day fine until it rids its search engine of the literary extracts."

Eye on Google

"Three major library associations sent a letter Thursday to the U.S. Justice Department asking it to keep a close eye on Google to make sure it does not exploit its position as the owner of the world’s largest digital book database to gouge libraries with exorbitant licensing fees."

The Global Antitrust Battle Over Google's Library

"The case presents a tangle of issues: how to create new markets for old books without shortchanging authors; how to nurture new technology without stifling competition; and how to preserve all that when one company — in this case, Google — is pioneering the revolution and could profit handsomely. One commentator, who supports the original settlement, has called it 'the World Series of antitrust.'"

A Library to Last Forever

An article by Sergey Brin, co-founder and technology president of Google. He argues for the value of the Google Book Search.

Google Working to Revise Digital Books Settlement

"The news out of this is that there are frantic negotiations going on in
back rooms right now, said James Grimmelmann, an associate professor at
the Institute for Information Law and Policy at New York Law School, which
raised antitrust and other objections to the settlement. The parties are
scared enough to be talking seriously about changes, with each other and
the government. The government is being the stern parent making them do
it."

Justice Department Tells Court to Reject the Google Books Settlement

"The U.S. Department of Justice late Friday urged the court overseeing Google's book search settlement with authors and publishers to reject the settlement in its current form, although it strongly hinted that the parties are flexible on certain provisions."

Google Deal Set to Reincarnate Digital Books

"Google Inc. is giving 2 million books in its digital library a chance to be reincarnated as paperbacks."

Top US Copyright Cop Opposes Google Book Deal

"The nation's top copyright official has joined the mounting opposition to a class-action settlement that would give Google Inc. the digital rights to millions of out-of-print books."

Europe's Heated Reaction to Google Books

"As the scope of Google's plans to digitise millions of books gradually becomes clear, European publishers, booksellers and authors are up in arms about copyright, data privacy and censorship issues."

Librarians Fighting Google's Book Deal

"'This is a monumental settlement that's at stake, and for the government to show this kind of attention is heartening,' says Lee Van Orsdel, dean of university libraries at Grand Valley State University. 'The increased scrutiny on the part of the DOJ tells us that our concerns are resonating far beyond the library community,' concurs Corey Williams, associate director in the office of government relations at the American Library Association."

Podcast: How Google Book Search Affects Academe

"Depending on whom you ask, Google’s Book Search book-scanning project lays the foundation for a universal, digitized library or creates a dangerous monopoly on information. The Chronicle sat down with Adam Smith, director of product management at Google, to talk about Book Search, the proposed settlement in the authors-and-publishers lawsuit against it, what it means for academic authors and researchers and so-called orphan works, and fears of a Google monopoly. Listen to a podcast of the conversation."