RE: Library Journal editorial about the Google Book Search settlement

["B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2@yahoo.com>]

Regarding Ann Okerson's comments...

I don't go out of my way to find negative accounts of the Google 
settlement. If I do come across a thoughtful positive account of 
the settlement from a library perspective (rather than the 
author/publisher viewpoint) I'll gladly alert people to it. Maybe 
negativity is what "sells".

Most of the positive coverage seemed to have come immediately 
after the announcement of the settlement. As the dust settled, 
and people looked at the details, things seemed to take a more 
negative spin.

Finally, Ann said:

"What I hear from readers is that they are waiting for the day 
when a click on a library catalog entry will take them directly 
to the full text of the item and speed up their ability to get 
information and do research.  The Google partnerships and 
projects bring us closer to a version of that day, much sooner 
than we could have imagined even 5 years ago."

Sure, people are better off than they were five years ago as far 
as getting online access to book-based info. And that's a good 
thing. I don't think the critics are necessarily opposed to 
Google Book Search per se. I think the critics are wondering 
whether the *settlement* is a step forward or a step back in the 
journey towards reaching Ann's goal.

Bernie Sloan
Sora Associates
Bloomington, IN

--- On Wed, 12/17/08, Okerson, Ann <ann.okerson@yale.edu> wrote:

> From: Okerson, Ann <ann.okerson@yale.edu>
> Subject: RE: Library Journal editorial about the Google Book Search  settlement
> To: "liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu" <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
> Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 7:00 PM
>
> Dear All:  I find it notable that in the various forwarded 
> articles and postings, the comments about the Google Settlement 
> are negative.  So let me risk life and limb to say that I've 
> found commendable aspects about the Settlement and the future 
> access it may provide for readers.  Please call off the attack 
> dogs -- I didn't say it was perfect, but Isabella Hinds, when 
> she was at the CCC, used to say that generally a good agreement 
> is one in which all the parties are a bit unhappy.  I've never 
> forgotten those wise words.  Many of the Settlement comments 
> also strike me as unrealistic (for example, how could public 
> libraries have been at this particular negotiating table?).
>
> What I hear from readers is that they are waiting for the day 
> when a click on a library catalog entry will take them directly 
> to the full text of the item and speed up their ability to get 
> information and do research.  The Google partnerships and 
> projects bring us closer to a version of that day, much sooner 
> than we could have imagined even 5 years ago. Is this good?
>
> Yes.  Is this going to be the only large-scale digital source 
> in town?  One hopes not, and that future remains to all of us 
> non-Google entities to determine.  Bah-Humbug isn't the right 
> response to the Settlement.  It's Christmas, after all.
>
> Ann Okerson/Yale Library (not representing the views of my 
> Library, which has not taken any position on this matter!)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
> [mailto:owner-liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu]
> On Behalf Of B.G. Sloan
> Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 5:18 PM
> To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
> Subject: Library Journal editorial about the Google Book
> Search settlement
>
> Library Journal has an editorial about the recent Google Book 
> Search settlement with publishers and authors.
>
> Fialkoff, Francine. Editorial: Google Deal or Rip-Off? Library 
> Journal. December 15, 2008. 
> http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6618842.html
>
> The editorial concludes: "... librarians must do better than to 
> acquiesce in an arrangement that relinquishes ownership of 
> books online in favor of contractual provisions and for-pay 
> schemes that subvert the ideals of the public library and 
> academic inquiry."
>
> Bernie Sloan
> Sora Associates
> Bloomington, IN