[Nfbmo] Link: Google Books gets it's day in court
DanFlasar at aol.com
DanFlasar at aol.com
Thu Feb 18 19:43:48 UTC 2010
I still haven't come to a conclusion about the merits of those opposed to
Google's plans to scan in
nearly all the books in America's academic libraries, but Dr. Maurer
weighed in on the considerable benefits of the deal for the blind. HIs comments
are in the first paragraph of a tory linked at the bottom of this email.
If you recall, Google began scanning in all the books in major
libraries at major universities some years
ago. The NFB, concerned that the books were merely scans (pictures of the
book pages) rather than processed
into readable text, devoted a good deal of time and attention in making
Google aware of the accessibility issues of the then-current version of Google
Books.
Other issues, as explained below, are that Google has entered into an
agreement with some writer's
groups to pay royalties (in some manner I don't fully understand yet),
which would then free Google to charge
readers for the ability to download - or at least read on-line - the books
Google has processed. Gaining
access to so many new books is great - but many groups feel that Google is
staking out vast new legal
territory in acccess to information. I don't think this will affect
either the NLS or Bookshare in any way.
At any rate, here's the article linked below. I think they have a way
to go yet.
_http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/18/google-books-gets-its-day_n_466904
.html_
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/18/google-books-gets-its-day_n_466904.html)
Dan
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