TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Google Wants to Sell Online Access to Books

Google Wants to Sell Online Access to Books

Reuters News Wire (reuters@telecom-digest.org)
Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:48:19 -0600

Google Inc. wants to partner with publishers in the United States and
United Kingdom to sell online access to their books, the company said
on its Web site on Monday.

Google Book Search would allow publishers to set the prices for their
books and make them available through a reader's Web browser. Consumers
would not be able to save a copy on their computer or copy pages from
the book.

"It's a way for publishers to experiment with a new method of earning
money from their books in addition to those that already exist," the
company said.

Five major publishers sued Google last year seeking to block the
company's plans to scan copyrighted works without permission and
derail its push to make many of the world's great books searchable
online.

Legal experts characterized that dispute as a new front in the battle
over digital duplication of media including music, movies and books.

Currently, Google users can view parts of books or entire books if the
copyright has expired or a publisher has given permission to do so.

The new service would be open to publishers in the United States and
United Kingdom who participate in Google's Partner Program and can
prove they have the rights to sell online access to their books,
Google said.

Copyright 2006 Reuters Limited.

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