Google Pauses Scan Plan.

Navigation: Main page

Author: Albanese, Andrew

Google officials have announced changes to their Google Print for Libraries scan plan and will temporarily suspend the scanning of copyrighted books from libraries. The changes, despite generating headlines, seem not to have eased tensions between Google and publishers (see News, LJ 7/05, p. 20ff.).

In an August 11 statement, Google senior product manager Adam Smith wrote that publishers could henceforth opt out of the scanning program. "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," Smith said. That marks a significant policy shift, since publishers previously could opt out of having scanned library books made available to searchers but could not prevent having the works scanned.

Smith also said Google would suspend the scanning of copyrighted books until at least November, "to allow plenty of time to review these new options." Nonetheless, the Association of American Publishers (AAP) said Google's move still does not address its concerns. AAP president Pat Schroeder said Google's policy continues to "[shift] the responsibility for preventing infringement to the copyright owner rather than the user, turning every principle of copyright law on its ear."

~~~~~~~~

By Andrew Albanese