digital library

Judge Rejects Google Books Settlement

Amir Efrati, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on March 22, 2011 at 1:50 pm PT

A federal judge in Manhattan on Tuesday rejected Google Inc.’s settlement with authors and publishers that would allow it to make millions of books available online, saying it would give the Internet giant the ability to “exploit” books without the permission of copyright owners. In a 48-page decision, Denny Chin, a judge on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, denied the 2008 settlement between Google, authors and publishers “without prejudice,” meaning they could submit a revised pact that would better protect copyright owners.

Word-Wide Web Launches

Robert Lee Hotz, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on December 17, 2010 at 12:00 am PT

Language analysts, sifting through two centuries of words in the millions of books in Google Inc.’s growing digital library, found a new way to track the arc of fame, the effect of censorship, the spread of inventions and the explosive growth of new terms in the English-speaking world.

Google Books Settlement Proceedings to Drag on Until Mid-February

John Paczkowski in News on November 20, 2009 at 6:53 am PT

The latest revision of the Google Books settlement has been granted preliminary approval by a New York district judge, though it will be some time before that approval is finalized–if it is finalized. Judge Denny Chin of the Southern District of New York said Thursday that he will hold a hearing Feb. 18 on the new agreement, which will restore access to millions of out-of-print books, but may also one day give the company a monopoly on the largest digital library in the world.

Google Books in China; Chapter Two

Loretta Chao, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on October 23, 2009 at 5:00 am PT

In response to the recent uproar over Google’s digital library in China, Google initially gave a boilerplate response about its U.S. book settlement applying only to U.S. books, and that the company will “of course” listen carefully to concerns and work hard to address them.

Google Books Settlement: The Chinese Chapter

Juliet Ye, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal in News on October 20, 2009 at 12:25 pm PT

Google’s troubles in China seem to have taken a new turn as a result of the company’s plan to create a vast digital library of books. The China Written Works Copyright Society has called on Chinese writers to stand up for their legal rights in the face of Web search giant Google’s proposed book settlement, according to a post published on the official Web site of Chinese Writers’ Association.

Open Book Alliance Throws Book at Google

John Paczkowski in News on August 26, 2009 at 1:07 pm PT

The Open Book Alliance–or “Sour Grapes Alliance,” as Google likes to call it–formally launched Wednesday afternoon, debuting a new Web site, as well as the manifesto with which it is challenging Google’s settlement with authors and publishers.

Barnes & Noble to Amazon: Mine Is Bigger Than Yours

John Paczkowski in News on July 21, 2009 at 2:00 am PT

Six years after shuttering its first e-book effort, Barnes & Noble has embarked on a new one. Monday afternoon, the bookseller announced what it describes as “the world’s largest eBookstore,” an online storefront that boasts 700,000 titles.

Barnes & Noble to Amazon: Mine Is Bigger Than Yours

John Paczkowski in News on July 21, 2009 at 2:00 am PT

Six years after shuttering its first e-book effort, Barnes & Noble has embarked on a new one. Monday afternoon, the bookseller announced what it describes as “the world’s largest eBookstore,” an online storefront that boasts 700,000 titles.