Google v Authors Guild: a victory for readers' right to choose

A Manhattan court case about digitisation rights has brought books and the web a step closer togetherOn 14 November, after eight years of wrangling, Judge Denny Chin of the Manhattan district court finally ruled in the case of Google versus the Authors Guild. At issue was Google's scanning and digitisation of more than 20m books from libraries across the world, but at the heart of the case was question of what constitutes fair use in the age of the internet.For the Authors Guild, it was unquestioningly a violation of publishers' and authors' rights to copy their work wholesale and make "snippets" of it available online. For Google, and for many scholars and librarians who petitioned on its behalf, the indexing of those works is transformative, and adds to, rather than reduces, their value. After much deliberation, the courts have come to agree with the latter – it is, after all, what search engines have been doing to the web since it originated.There is a point at which we come to assume that a text is first and foremost digital. We've already passed that point for much of the media around us, understanding that even the letters we receive in the post are printed from digital "originals". Newspapers currently inhabit a mid-point: we're still unsure whether the printed or the website edition is the "true" version.That point is fast approaching for the book, and we are choosing the form that it will take. Essentially, the book is becoming more like the web, opened up to... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #search engines #fast approaching #long term

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Google v Authors Guild: a victory for readers' right to choose'


Google partners with Telegraph for Ways with Words festival

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Wed, 18/05/2011 - 14:46 Google is to partner with the Telegraph Ways with Words Literature Festival, as it celebrates its 20th year. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #google partners #words festival #20th year


Corvus acquires seven from self-published author

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 17/05/2011 - 08:15 Corvus has acquired seven books from self-published author Nick Alexander, whose title The Missing Boyfriend was in the top 10 in the Kindle paid-for charts for six weeks. Senior editor Laura Palmer bought world English... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #self-published author #backlist titles


Authors should be paid for events - BIC

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 17/05/2011 - 08:20 Authors should be paid for hosting events, the Society of Authors new general secretary has said. Nicola Solomon told delegates at the Book Industry Conference yesterday (16th May) that if authors give up a day of their free... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #general secretary #free time #book signing #making money


Only 20% of US indies sign up to Google Editions

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 16/05/2011 - 15:20 Only 20% of American Booksellers Association (ABA) members have signed up to the Google E-books programme, the head of the ABA has said. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #indies sign #google editions


Reader’s Digest Revenue, EBITDA Fall Double Digits in First Quarter 2011

The Reader’s Digest Association (RDA) shared its first quarter results this morning, and fallen revenues show that the company is still nursing its wounds since Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #quarter results


Only 20% of US indies signed up to Google Editions

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 16/05/2011 - 15:20 Only 20% of American Booksellers Association (ABA) members have signed up to the Google E-books programme, the head of the ABA has said. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #google editions


Ten make Authors' Club travel longlist

Publication Date: Fri, 13/05/2011 - 11:54 Titles on Russian history, the populace of Germany and a spiritual travelogue have been longlisted for the 2011 Authors' Club Dolman Travel Book of the Year. Molotov's Magic Lantern by Rachel Polonski (Faber), Germania by Simon Winder (Picador) and All... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #russian history #10-strong list #literary merit


Publishers should use authors to help fight piracy

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Thu, 12/05/2011 - 09:31 Publishers should not overspend in the fight against piracy, and should use their authors to present a "human face" in the battle for hearts and minds, a panel discussion at the World e-Reading Congress declared. The industry... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #panel discussion #digital director


Support your library, CWA tells authors

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 12/05/2011 - 09:13 The Crime Writers Association (CWA) is asking each of its members to do at least three events a year for their local library as part of a campaign to support the public library service in the face of widespread cutbacks. "We... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #local library #public libraries


Reader’s Digest Announces Third Digital Exec Hire Since 2008

Reader’s Digest has named Matthew Goldenberg general manager of Readersdigest.com. Goldenberg comes from Bloomberg, where he acted as managing editor and operations director at Bloomberg LP. At Reader’s Digest, Goldenberg will oversee digital operations and continue to push forward the brand’s... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bloomberg lp #readers digest #managing editor #operations director


Three French publishers file new lawsuit against Google

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 11/05/2011 - 08:11 French publishers Albin Michel, Flammarion and Gallimard are suing Google for having scanned 9,797 books without prior permission for its Google Book Search programme, a publishing source told The Bookseller. Lawyers for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prior permission #filed suit


PW, DBW Google Settlement Webcast Tomorrow

The Publishers Weekly, Digital Book World WEBcast on the Google Book Settlement rejection is set for tomorrow at 1 p.m. Skott Klebe, chief architect at Copyright Clearance Center joins panelists Pamela Samuelson, professor at the Berkeley Law School & School of Information; and Jame... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #associate professor


Quadrille scores four on Guild of Food Writers shortlists

Publication Date: Mon, 09/05/2011 - 13:07 Quadrille has scored four nominations for this year's Guild of Food Writers awards. Titles from Stevie Parle, Josceline Dimbleby, Mark Hix and Mark Diacono were shortlisted, with the latter's A Taste of the Unexpected squaring up against two Jacqui... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mark hix #food book


Nurturer of Authors Is Closing the Book

The editor Robert Loomis, who is retiring from Random House after 54 years, is known for nurturing writers including Maya Angelou, William Styron, Shelby Foote and Calvin Trillin. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #random house


Barnes & Noble Plans New E-Book Reader [Voices]

Barnes & Noble Inc. will unveil a new electronic book reader later this month, the bookseller told analysts and investors on Wednesday, according to a federal filing released after the close of trading. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble


iPad users may not become book readers, report finds

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 28/04/2011 - 08:00 A large proportion of iPad owners in the US have not used the device to read an ebook, a survey from media and publishing forecast firm Simba Information reveals. A report on the firm's "Trade E-Book Publishing 2011"... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #read ebooks #book readers #report finds #survey respondents #large proportion #ipad owners


NOOK Color Reader Looks to Become Tablet Competitor

Barnes & Noble Inc. is stepping up their e-reader offering, upping the NOOK Color experience to rival those of tablet computers like the iPad and Motorola Xoom. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble #tablet computers #motorola xoom


Despite Google Changes, Demand Media Foresees Q1 Growth

In a statement released yesterday, Demand Media reaffirms the financial outlook for fiscal year 2011 given on February 22, despite the Google algorithm change which took place in late February. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #late february


London Triptych wins Authors Club prize

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 18/04/2011 - 09:16 The Authors’ Club Best First Novel award has been given to Jonathan Kemp for London Triptych. The book, about sex, exploitation and dependence set against London’s gay underworld was published by Brighton-based indie Myriad... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Genre authors attack "sneering" World Book Night coverage

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 18/04/2011 - 09:19 Authors including Iain M Banks and Michael Moorcock have written to the BBC's director general Mark Thompson, attacking the treatment of genre fiction in its recent World Book Night coverage. In total 85 authors, across the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #genre fiction #science fiction