June 23, 2005

Google contract, released through Freedom of Info act, reveals "copyright infringement on a massive scale" . . .

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A public interest watchdog group, Google-Watch.org, has posted “a heretofore confidential contract” between Google and the library of the University of Michigan revealing for the first time the details of Google’s Print for Libraries project, and “many publishers don’t like what they see,” according to a Business Week report by Burt Helm. The document, obtained by Google-Watch through the Michigan State Freedom of Information Act, reveals “plans to make two digital copies of books under copyright, one for Google, the other for the college” — “exactly why publishers are concerned,” according to Association of American Publishers legal head Allan Adler. Helm reports that “news that Google will be making digital copies of copyrighted material without explicit permission from copyright holders has riled several publishers,” including Random House, John Wiley & Sons, and the American Association of University Presses, each of whom wrote to Google saying that the project “appears to involve copyright infringement on a massive scale.” AAP president Pat Schroeder has called for a “six-month moratorium on digitizing copyrighted books from the libraries,” and has asked to meet with Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Google has agreed but refused to enact a moratorium, saying it would hold off on any such decision until after the meeting, and consulting with its partners and “others.”

Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.

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