Google Book Search is a tool currently in beta that allows users to search the full text of scanned books in its digital database. The user can view a limited number of pages that contain the searched keyword within the book as well as other relevant information such as the publisher’s website and booksellers. Google allows free PDF downloads of public-domain works and other non-copyright material. Outside the US, however, they make sure that the content is appropriate under local laws. Currently, the service is growing rapidly with more than one million volumes in the digitized database.

Blog
            “Inside Google Book Search” is a blog run by the team behind Google Books. Their posts range from major new features or bug fixes to answering frequently asked questions. One of the best things they enjoy about their work is hearing how imaginative and creative Google Books can be used. For example, they enjoyed stories from a graduate student studying 19th century British roads and from a blogger who scouts for descriptions of Victorian dresses and dressmaking last year. Recently, they heard from a medical doctor who finds great value in Google Books for medical education. His interview can be found in our website.

Partner Program
            The Partner Program presents individual and major publishers opportunities to promote their books for free by making them searchable online. The main idea is to connect them with those most interested in buying their books in the most efficient and convenient manner. The uploaded content is guaranteed to be protected; users can only preview a limited number of pertinent pages. Publishers can also take advantage of advertising tools such as AdWords to run targeted ad campaigns to attract potential customers. The economic incentive to joining Google Books is significant. Links to bookstores and retailers in addition to the book content will allow users to go from “browsing to buying” directly, potentially driving up book sales. For example, Mr. Hal Hallstein from Wisdom Publications informs that traffic to the online bookstore has increased 74% since they adopted Google Book Search, AdWords and Analytics. There are also tools available to keep a track of customers’ preferences and stay in touch with them for future sales.

Library Project
            Google is working with several major libraries to digitize their books and build a comprehensive, searchable virtual card catalog. Some of the library partners include US institutions such as Stanford University and the New York Public Library as well as international institutions such as Keio University in Japan and the National Library of Catalonia in Spain. Here at Stanford, SULAIR staff are working closely with Google Books staff in digitizing the library’s massive collections, undertaking tasks ranging from physical handling of books to database management. The staff also pays careful attention to respecting the rights of publishers and copyright holders. The digitization project supports SULAIR’s mission of providing enhanced accessibility to resources for research and learning. Many items from Stanford’s collections, such as government documents from US Congress, are currently available online. Combined with Stanford’s over 8 million collections and Google’s expertise in digitizing and search technology, the future of Stanford-Google Library Project looks bright.

Table Of Contents:
.Copyright and Fair Use
Censorship
Globalization
Interviews
Links
About Us

Our Power Point On Google Books presented on March 17th, 2008 at 2:20 pm in Redwood Hall, Stanford CA.