09.20.05
Google Library
There was a post on Slashdot about this CNN article discussing the publishing industry’s mixed feelings about Google’s plan to scan in a ton of books and make them searchable. Normally this is not an interesting enough story for me to mention, but this excerpt got my attention:
Richard Hull, executive director of the Text and Academic Authors Association, called Google’s approach backwards. Publishers shouldn’t have to bear the burden of record-keeping, agreed Sanfilippo, the Penn State press’s marketing and sales director.
“We’re not aware of everything we’ve published,” Sanfilippo said. “Back in the 50s, 60s and 70s, there were no electronic files for those books.”
On the whole, I support intellectual property rights. But I support them because of their intended purpose- to create an incentive for creative minds to generate compelling content. I do think the current copyright expiration limits are way too long. But even more to the point is the case mentioned by the publisher in that CNN article.
He is concerned that Google may scan books they don’t even remember or have records that they published? It sounds to me as though they are giving up any claim to ongoing ownership of that intellectual property by abdicating their role as stewards. I know that’s not the law, but from a public policy perspective I think that position makes sense.
