A new chapter in Google's book saga

No matter what else you think of Google, you've got to admit it's got moxie.

Even as the company remains locked in copyright lawsuits over its efforts to digitize many of the world's largest library collections, Google Book Search is going ahead with plans to offer free downloadable PDF versions of works that are in the "public domain."

The project seems to be taking a relatively conservative approach in defining this category so far, but critics see Google traversing down a slippery slope. Some bloggers have speculated that, at the very least, publishers will seek to extend copyrights past their traditional terms.

Blog community response:

"Google has taken up the public domain cry and in effect has said, 'This is public domain and we share it with all. For we are Google, lord of information.'"
--Concurring opinions

"While this only applies to older books, it's still a great way of democratizing access to the world's knowledge (in English, at any rate), and it can't raise any objections from publishers. Books which were before available only on the shelves of large academic libraries are now available to anyone with a Web connection and some curiosity. Scienta vincit omnia!"
--Ars Technica

"It's not hard to imagine what Penguin Classics thinks about Google's plans, but it would not seem that there is much the company could do to stop Google offering out-of-copyright works to the public. I can imagine calls coming soon from publishers to extend the length of the copyright term once again."
--Exbiblio