Google Checks Out Library Books
The Libraries of Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, the University of Oxford, and The New York Public Library Join with Google to Digitally Scan Library Books and Make Them Searchable Online
As part of its effort to make offline
information searchable online, Google has announced that it is working with the
libraries of Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, and the University
of Oxford as well as The New York Public Library to digitally scan books from
their collections so that users worldwide can search them in Google.
"Even before we started Google, we dreamed of making the incredible breadth of
information that librarians so lovingly organise searchable online," said Larry
Page, Googlee co-founder and president of Products. "Today we are pleased to
announce this programme to digitise the collections of these amazing libraries
so that every Google user can search them instantly."
"Our work with libraries further enhances the existing Google Print programme,
which enables users to find matches within the full text of books, while
publishers and authors monetise that information," Page added. "Google's mission
is to organise the world's information, and we are excited to be working with
libraries to help make this mission a reality."
Today's announcement is an expansion of the Google Printâ„¢ program, which assists
publishers in making books and other offline information searchable online.
Google is now working with libraries to digitally scan books from their
collections, and oer time will integrate this content into the Google index, to
make it searchable for users worldwide.
Reg Carr, Director of Oxford University Library Services, said, "Making the
wealth of knowledge accumulated in the Bodleian Library's historic collections
accessible to as many people as possible is at the heart of Oxford University's
commitment to lifelong learning. Oxford is therefore proud to be part of this
effort to make information available to everyone who might benefit from it."
"The Bodleian's 19th century collections, which include many out-of-print titles
which otherwise would be incredibly hard to find, will be scanned as part of the
Google Print programme. We hope that Oxford's contribution to this project will
be of scholarly use, as well as general interest, to people around the wrld,"
said Carr.
For publishers and authors, this expansion of the Google Print programme will
increase the visibility of in and out of print books, and generate book sales
via "Buy this Book" links and advertising. For users, Google's library programme
will make it possible to search across library collections including out of
print books and titles that were not previously available anywhere but on a
library shelf.
Users searching with Google will see links in their search results page when
there are books relevant to their query. Clicking on a title delivers a Google
Print page where users can browse the full text of public domain works and brief
excerpts and/or bibliographic data of copyrighted material. Library content will
be displayed in keeping with copyright law.
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