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Library Groups Ask DOJ To Oversee Google Books

Posted by kdawson on from the monopoly-remedy dept.

adeelarshad82 writes "Three library associations have asked the Justice Department to oversee Google's plans to create a massive digital library, so as to prevent excessively high pricing for institutional subscriptions. They said that there was unlikely to be an effective competitor to Google's massive project in the near term. They also asked for academic author representation on the Registry board. Google's plan to digitize millions of books has been criticized by a variety of sources and has recently been shut down in France."

6 of 108 comments (clear)

  1. what? by larry+bagina · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If the institutional subscription is more expensive than what they're doing now, maybe they shouldn't use it. If it's less expensive, then what's the problem?

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    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

    1. Re:what? by TubeSteak · · Score: 2, Interesting

      If the institutional subscription is more expensive than what they're doing now, maybe they shouldn't use it. If it's less expensive, then what's the problem?

      The problem is that google will have a monopoly.
      Instead of waiting for the free market to screw things up, the librarians are being proactive about seeking oversight.

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      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
  2. Re:Good Grief. by couchslug · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Maybe Google should do what it will, and tell the people who run libraries to piss up a rope.

    Libraries sell off or throw away many books so they have space for new ones. With digitization, there is no need to sacrifice old material.

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    "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
  3. No competition? by SuperKendall · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Google is already being undercut.

    (may not want to follow link at work due to ads on site).

    There are lots of people digitizing books, for free - so there's already some pressure on Google to be reasonable about pricing, even if they will probably have a much more comprehensive selection.

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    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:No competition? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      From your link, I clicked one of the top results, and the note was:

      Recreated as best as I could from memory and information I was able to locate through Google Book Search.

      No competition?

  4. Re:Why do I get by pjt48108 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Because that's exactly how it would be. I used to work in libraries. They're just suffering an existential crisis, and will react this way each time someone comes up with a better idea than they can make good on themselves.

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