Google suspends ambitious Library Project

Google revealed yesterday that it will heed critics of its Google Print Library Project and delay scanning copyrighted texts until November. When announced late in 2004, the Library Project aimed to index book collections of major research libraries to make the content searchable through Google Print.However, the ambitious plan came under attack from several publishers and publishing groups, including the Association of American University Presses, which sent a letter of concern to Google back in May. In a blog post yesterday, Google Print Product Manager Adam M. Smith said that company made changes to the project designed to better meet the needs of publishers. Google now allows both its publishing partners and other book publishers to upload a list of books they don't want included in Google Print. Publishers can also request that a book be removed at any time from Google's search results.
Smith wrote: "We think most publishers and authors will choose to participate in the publisher program in order to introduce their work to countless readers around the world. But we know that not everyone agrees, and we want to do our best to respect their views too. So now, 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."To allow time to review the new options it is offering publishers, Google will refrain from scanning any copyrighted books until November, Smith wrote.
Via Cathleen Moore