[LIS-Forum] Publisher: No thanks, GOOGLE..

[Poornima Narayan]

Upset over Google's plan to scan books from university library shelves, 
publisher Rowman & Littlefield has pulled out of the Google print for 
Publishers program and refused a meeting with Google. In an email 
exchange, Jed Lyons, president and CEO of the Rowman & Littlefield 
Publishing group, Inc., and the National book Network, called the Google 
Print Library project "an outrageous rip-off".
Rowman & Littlefield is the only publisher to withdraw from the publisher 
program because of the Library Project. So, why object to the permission 
based program, Google asked. Lyons said the library project is"flagrantly 
violating U.S. copyright law", so his company won't participate in any 
Google program "until you stop this illegal activity".
Lyons pointed to the difficulties the plan has caused for one prolific 
author, Bard College theologian Jacob Neusner, who has authored or edited 
as many as 900 volumes, cited a burdensome "opt-out" process, in which 
Google asked him to check for proper rights clearance, which is typically 
the responsibility of the party doing the copying or its agent. Google 
says many publishers are pleased with library scanning as it allows them 
to upgrade library-scanned books into Google Print for Publishers without 
having to locate the book or ship it- Andrew Albanese
Source: Library Journal, Nov 1, 2005


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