Landmark Decision for Google Book Search

From American Libraries Direct and elsewhere

As many expected, at some point Google would settle the lawsuits brought by the publishers concerning their Book Search scanning process. Much detail remains to be understood about this agreement. The settlement agreement itself is more than 200 pages.

Google settles scanning suit with authors, publishers
After two years of negotiations, a settlement has been reached in lawsuits between Google and author and publisher groups over the search-engine company’s scanning of copyrighted books. Under the settlement, announced October 28 and subject to approval by a New York federal court, Google would pay $125 million to resolve a class-action lawsuit brought in 2005 by book authors and the Authors Guild, as well as a separate suit filed by five publishers. The payment would go toward creation of a Book Rights Registry where authors and publishers can register works and receive compensation....American Libraries Online, Oct. 29

Also in the Chronicle of Higher Education: http://chronicle.com/free/2008/10/6010n.htm?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

Harvard opts out of settlement due to uncertainties about the cost http://chronicle.com/news/article/5417/harvard-says-no-thanks-to-google-deal-for-scanning-in-copyright-works?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en