Google has announced a revised book settlement. Google, Inc., the Authors Guild, and the Association of American Publishers collectively filed the revised settlement with the Clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York yesterday. Apparently, the filing occurred just minutes before the court-imposed Midnight deadline. Drama, drama, drama ....
What does it do?
It's cut back on the books that Google will distribute electronically over the web via Google Book Search. Now, Google's only going to deal with books that were are (1) registered with the U.S. Copyright Office or (2) published in either Australia, Canada, or Great Britian. As for the "orphans," (where the copyright ownership of a book is unknown), the revenue from these works is protected in the agreement, going so far as to set up a guardian to act as fiduciary for the owners.
Check out Google Book Search for yourself, see what the fuss is all about -- and while you're at it, check out Google's notice this morning about the "groundbreaking agreement." Google gives you its own blow by blow about the new deal that was struck yesterday.
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