Few More Insights in Google Digitization Project

The latest issue of Cites & Insights has a report on a presentation by a Google and University of Michigan library representative on the Google Digitization Project, providing a few semi-insights:

• Google indemnified the University of Michigan against any legal issues that arise from copyrights.
• All the participating libraries and Google sent letters to the U.S. legislature requesting resolution of the orphan copyright issues. Google is encouraging a database of copyrights so that libraries and others can determine easily if a work is protected by copyright.
• [The librarian] says that the project has already proven to be a factor in driving clarification of intellectual property rights, including the orphan copyright issue.
• When books appear in Google search results, there is also a link to the record in Open WorldCat (www.oclc.org/worldcat/open/default.htm) to assist users in finding the book in local libraries.