- A new issue of the Google Newsletter for Librarians is online and features:
RLG's Walt Crawford (way to go Walt!) on Google Book Search. We're glad to see that Google's Newsletter editor does point out other digitization projects like the Open Content Alliance are around. In fact, RLG is a member of the OCA.
It would have also been a neat move if they would have mentioned OCLC's NetLibrary (full text, full image books from many libraries, free, today) and ebrary. As many of you know, ebrary not only licenses its database to libraries but also offers a wonderful and just about free database (full text, full image) with over 20,000 titles. Other full text book services like Safari Tech Books and Books 24x7 are also worth knowing about. What's interesting about this product is that you only pay to print or copy a page. Of course, a mention of the Online Books Page that aggregates (daily) thousands of full text books available online would have also been welcome.
In terms of new books direct from publishers (Google for Publishers), Amazon's doing an impressive job with Search Inside the Book and is MORE than worth a look.
We also agree with Crawford's comments about Google Book Search (and other services) helping people "discover books." That's great news for all of us and Google and other groups deserve kudos. Two quick caveats (that we will likely not know the answers to for several years) and one comment from a Google exec.
1) Will people actually come to or use the library to get the full text of the book (assuming the copyright is still valid) or do we live in a time when snippets will "just do" (take what you can get and move on)?
2) In terms of out-of-copyright works, will Google make printing easy for offline reading? *Yes, out-of-copyright library materials can be saved as images and printed. Remember, "books are for use." *Using CustomizeGoogle, a very popular Firefox plugin, users can also re-enable the right click menu and save pages as image files for all books. This feature became available last November.
See Also: Coverage of the Google Book/Print Debate at the NY Public Library (November 2005 via NY Times)
Interesting things to think about from various groups.
What Else is in the New Issue of the Newsletter?
- Link to Google Book Search Shakespeare Page
See Also: Don't Forget to Check This ResourceShelf Post with Links to Several Other Shakespeare Digitization Projects.
- Two New Posters
- "Find a Page from your Past," an article by Googler and librarian Ben Bunnell about how people are using full-text book searches to find clues about their family history."
and in other Google News...
The Googleplex signed a deal with Adobe today that will see Adobe distribute the Google Toolbar, "each time they download Adobe's Shockwave player for use with an Internet Explorer." Ah, Google vs. MS War once again. :-) Worth noting that last year Yahoo signed a deal with Adobe to distribute the Yahoo toolbar with downloads of Acrobat. It's also possible to search Yahoo web search directly from the Acrobat app.
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