[Web4lib] Interesting article on Google Book Search

[Leo Robert Klein]

K.G. Schneider wrote:

> The cheap and easy response is sure, this is great. But I really heed this
> comment: "I think the libraries are getting played badly here and they are
> violating their own principles of openness and public service by letting
> Google take charge and set the terms of this service." This only reflects
> questions and comments I heard at the LITA Google talk at ALA, some of it
> muttered sotto voce, some of it spoken into the microphone--questions and
> comments I'm not sure really got answered. 

But, but, but...

What is there in this agreement -- or in any use of Google for that 
matter -- that precludes any other implementation?  I'm not quite up on 
the wording of the contracts, but I highly doubt there's anything which 
we could remotely describe as 'lock-in'.

We're not talking Microsoft here.  In fact, efforts to paint Google with 
the same brush are completely misplaced.

As far as "intellectual courage" is concerned, I don't think it fits in 
easily with whether you're a Google-basher or Google-apologist.  I'm 
neither but I just didn't feel that Siva's critique was all that compelling.

In any case, Siva posits that Google won't even be around in another 100 
years -- but libraries will be.  So, to draw out his analogy, we can 
take comfort in the fact that we'll be dancing on Google's grave!  This 
should be comforting to everyone.

LEO

-- -------------
Leo Robert Klein
www.leoklein.com