Sick of hearing about Google’s big digitization plans yet? Well you shouldn’t be! The Scotsman, UK, says “Despite Google, we still need good libraries” in which the author has high praise for old fashioned libraries. Everyone and their brother is running pretty much the same story on the project, so I’ll just link to the Google News Cluster and let you browse a bit.
Some folks are starting to think about this a bit, and raise some good questions. The Associated Press says “Some are leery of Google’s online data project.” They point out this ambitious effort could herald the beginning of the commercialization of libraries, which have long been trusted as an independent resource for knowledge without the obvious trappings of marketing or goals of profit. NPR asks “What’s on the Web?” Are we getting closer to the day when most of the world’s knowledge is a click away? Brewster Kahle has some interesting things to say in this interview. The Detroit Free Press has some interesting points and they do a good job breaking down what they think the end product will look like. Product? Libraries? eek.
It’s also interesting to note Shares of Google Inc. jumped nearly 5% after the announcement. Just browsing the headlines is enough to excite me!
Global library heralds new information era
Google to make academic library books available on the net
The race to digitize the print universe
World’s top libraries sign up with Google
It came from the vaults! Google seeks to open the library
Google’s library plan ‘a huge help’
Google collects hard-to-find books Google launches big library
Google offers you a ticket to the world’s greatest libraries
Google inks agreement to digitise world’s libraries
Brin: Google Turns Libraries Into Latest Weapon Vs. Search Rivals
The Library of Google
Google set to add a gaggle of books
All just hype? Or have we reached the tipping point?
Sick of hearing about Google’s big digitization plans yet? Well you shouldn’t be! The Scotsman, UK, says “Despite Google, we still need good libraries” in which the author has high praise for old fashioned libraries. Everyone and their brother is running pretty much the same story on the project, so I’ll just link to the Google News Cluster and let you browse a bit.
Some folks are starting to think about this a bit, and raise some good questions. The Associated Press says “Some are leery of Google’s online data project.” They point out this ambitious effort could herald the beginning of the commercialization of libraries, which have long been trusted as an independent resource for knowledge without the obvious trappings of marketing or goals of profit. NPR asks “What’s on the Web?” Are we getting closer to the day when most of the world’s knowledge is a click away? Brewster Kahle has some interesting things to say in this interview. The Detroit Free Press has some interesting points and they do a good job breaking down what they think the end product will look like. Product? Libraries? eek.
It’s also interesting to note Shares of Google Inc. jumped nearly 5% after the announcement. Just browsing the headlines is enough to excite me!
Global library heralds new information era
Google to make academic library books available on the net
The race to digitize the print universe
World’s top libraries sign up with Google
It came from the vaults! Google seeks to open the library
Google’s library plan ‘a huge help’
Google collects hard-to-find books Google launches big library
Google offers you a ticket to the world’s greatest libraries
Google inks agreement to digitise world’s libraries
Brin: Google Turns Libraries Into Latest Weapon Vs. Search Rivals
The Library of Google
Google set to add a gaggle of books
All just hype? Or have we reached the tipping point?
Censorship problem/indexing problem
While I love the futuristic Jetsons type of world where you click and find whatever info you need, I worry about the control corporations have over information. The search engines censor web sites because of controversial viewpoints (yet, you can find some really eye-opening porn – go figure). I vaguely remember an article or news about some search engines removing the Martin Luther King.com site, a pro KKK site, and a “there was no Holocaust” site from their listings.
Another problem with Google et al ruling the information universe is the quality (actually lack thereof) of the indexing. I’m sure everyone here has searched for information on the ‘net KNOWING it was there and couldn’t find squat. Also look at how much information is buried in a website that NEVER gets indexed – sometimes we just get lucky and find it.
Maybe we need to form our own search engine/company? Yes, I know there is one out there called The Public Library or Academic Library – I’m talking about an Internet verion. The IPL is a step in that direction …
Anyway, my rambling two cents.
Copyright???
Chime in here anyone, because I don’t know nearly enough about the copyright issues that might arise from the whole Google project. Maybe there aren’t any, but in addition to the indexing problems that many search engines seem to have that rudimyers cites, doesn’t digitizing (fancy word for copying, right?) a body of work constitute a violation of copyrights?
Re:Censorship problem/indexing problem
Good points, but I’m afraid folks, librarians especially are quick to dismiss things that aren’t perfect. That doesn’t mean we should embrace every new thing that comes along either, it means we need to recognize what’s important enough to signal big changes. This might be it.
Re:Copyright???
Yes, very good point. I think if anything slows down progress in this area it’ll be the lawyers. That NPR interview with Kahle covers some of this very well. We already know how the APA feels about fair use and libraries, I can’t imagine they’re going to be quick to embrace something like this.
The legal issues are probabaly going to be the most difficult barriers in the future.
tipping which way?
I don’t think this affects public libraries as much as college. I’d be interested in a test case or study to see if a college student can do all their reading for a major paper on the computer. Can they work without paper until it comes time to print out the final report or are college libraries going to have to invest in a slew of new laser printers so students can printout the chapters and books they need? In which case, will it be worth it?
“Google’s Great Pyramid”
A National Review article here.
Re:tipping which way?
hmm, interesting. Though it may just help those in publics in small colleges even more if the end product opens up all these great resources.
hadn’t thought about the paper costs, there’s probably other costs we hadn’t considered either. Maybe “they” (those darn kids today) don’t fell the need to print stuff out like us old coots?
Something Readable at NRO?
Wow, never thought I’d see the day, not a bad article, I liked this:
“Access to all those books doesn’t mean people will read more, or more intelligently. Access to a vegetable garden doesn’t mean one has a healthier diet. Still, fast access to a lot of information is probably better than slow access to a little information.“
Re:Censorship problem/indexing problem
Good rebutal. This could be the next leap forward in technology.
For those of you who have read Dune, I have always wanted one of the books Paul and Dr. Suk (sp?) had – you know, the real thin thing that you could just press lightly and it would expand out so you could read it. Cool. huh huh
Re:Something Readable at NRO?
I believe Blake is actually giddy today.
Here’s Rosensweig and Schneider to rain on your parade. Though I think they’re all wet myself.