[LINK] Google and copyright and libraries

[Jan Whitaker]

from Publisher's lunch today:

>In New Agreement, Google Has Tighter Protocol for Reference Copy of 
>Copyrighted Works
>Peter Brantley discovers a new twist in Google's contractual 
>relationship with libraries. One of the important but quiet elements 
>of the Google library scanning program that publishers object to--in 
>which libraries are given an electronic copy of everything that 
>Google scans--has apparently become more restricted.
>
>Referring to the new agreement with the CIC consortium of university 
>libraries, Brantley notes they "are contributing in-copyright 
>material to Google for scanning, but for the first time (known to 
>me), they will not get a copy back." Rather the contract indicates 
>that for copyrighted works, "Google will place the University 
>Digital Copy of such Selected Content in escrow on a secure server 
>maintained by Google at Google's cost and expense." The contract (he 
>links to a full PDF) goes on to specify very limited circumstances 
>in which the universities can access those escrowed files.
>
>As a librarian Brantley regards this as a step backwards but many 
>publishers will feel differently. "I think the CIC agreement is a 
>significant enough departure from the prior public contracts that we 
>must take notice of its suggestions that the relationship between 
>Google and publishers is maturing, and that Google is more cautious 
>of the distribution of In-Copyright material than they ever have been before."
><http://click.email-publisher.com/maagKVAabzegCaBS04DeaeQxXH/>Brantley

full article includes some comments from Lawrence Lessig:
http://blogs.lib.berkeley.edu/shimenawa.php/2007/06/13/monetizing_libraries


Jan Whitaker
JLWhitaker Associates, Melbourne Victoria
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com
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Writing Lesson #54:
Learn to love revision. Think of it as polishing the silver for 
guests. - JW, May, 2007

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