 |
 |
Harvard has ultimately decided not to participate on the terms reached by the libraries involved in the settlement discussions between Google and the publishers and authors. from the Harvard Crimson - http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=524989 "Harvard University Library will not take part in Google¹s book scanning project for in-copyright works after finding the terms of its landmark $125 million settlement regarding copyrighted materials unsatisfactory, University officials said yesterday. "Harvard had been one of five academic libraries--along with Stanford, Oxford, Michigan, and the New York Public Library--to partner with Google when the book scanning initiative was announced in October 2004. University officials said that Harvard would continue its policy of only allowing Google to scan books whose copyrights have expired. ... "In a letter released to library staff, University Library Director Robert C. Darnton ¹60 said that uncertainties in the settlement made it impossible for HUL to participate. "³As we understand it, the settlement contains too many potential limitations on access to and use of the books by members of the higher education community and by patrons of public libraries,² Darnton wrote. "³The settlement provides no assurance that the prices charged for access will be reasonable,² Darnton added, ³especially since the subscription services will have no real competitors [and] the scope of access to the digitized books is in various ways both limited and uncertain.² "He also said that the quality of the books may be a cause for concern, as ³in many cases will be missing photographs, illustrations and other pictorial works, which will reduce their utility for research and education.² "