Forwarded from Govdocs ... does anyone know if Google Books is scanning atlases? I remember hearing that they weren't including folded maps in books ...
Angie
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "Amy West" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 1:30:23 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: Searching Government Publications in Google Books | ALA Task Force on Google Books Settlement
Hi all,
I want to call your attention to an issue about which I hope GODORT or other
ALA members on this list will have an opinion: users' ability to locate
digitized government publications via http://books.google.com. Bill Sleeman
has been representing GODORT on the ALA Task Force on the Google Books
Settlement. He has tried repeatedly to get some momentum around the issue
of access to government publications digitized by Google from Google Books
at http://books.google.com. You can see his latest effort at
Google and Government Documents. Should ALA work with Google to make federal
documents scanned from FDLP collections available in full-text for all
users? Read about it on ALA Connect at http://connect.ala.org/node/91525
Background:
The situation is a little complicated, but I believe I am correctly
summarizing it when I say that:
- Google is digitizing materials that are otherwise considered public
domain, like what libraries receive via the FDLP.
- Google's basic rule is pre-1923 materials are public domain and will be
fully available.
- Google's other basic rule is that post-1923 materials are not public
domain and will not be fully available.
- However, government publications should be an exception to this rule.
- Google has included in both versions of its settlement a Safe Harbor
provision which should provide legal cover for full display of works that
may contain copyrighted material prior to a full determination of the status
of any included copyrighted material.
- Google's position re post-1923 government publications is that they may
contain copyrighted material - in hearings for example.
- Google does not appear to be using the Safe Harbor provisions to make
post-1923 government publications available.
- In fact, Google appears to be taking the most cautious approach
possible.
While I understand that Google is being sued by pretty much everyone ever,
like Bill, I have concerns not only about Google's approach to post-1923
government publications, but ALA reactions to the same. Yes, eventually,
there will be points of access to digitized materials from library
partnerships. And yes, libraries can subscribe to fee-based services for
digital copies of government publications. But I feel both of these
reactions miss the point. If the material can be made fully available, why
isn't it? If Google has built itself a loophole for materials that might be
questionable, why aren't we seeing it in action? If the materials are
already digitized, why should anyone have to wait for Library Partners to
update their catalogs? For that matter, why should we expect users to go to
any individual catalog or other database when it's _Google_ - the default
search tool for most Internet users - that has the digitized materials
already?
Possible Action:
If you care to follow ALA's activities on this topic or share your views,
consider logging into ALA Connect at http://connect.ala.org and joining the
group at this address: http://connect.ala.org/node/90049
Best,
Amy West / GODORT Chair
--
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy
enough people to make it worth the effort. - Herm Albright
Amy West
Data Services Librarian
10 Wilson Library
University of Minnesota
309 - 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0414
Phone: (612) 625-6368
Email: [log in to unmask]
Google Mail, IM, Docs, Reader: ae.west
Web: http://www.lib.umn.edu/data
del.icio.us: umdatalib
Twitter: http://twitter.com/amyewest
|
