Brantley is attending meetings in Spain and discussing the OBA and Google Book Search. He’s been interviewed by two newsapers, El Pais and Publico.es.

Here are links to both interviews in Spanish along with mechanically generated translations from two services.

1) “Google no ve libros, se limita a ver datos” (via El Pais)

+ Translation by Google: “Google does not see books, is limited to viewing data” (via El Pais)

+ Translation by Systran: “Google does not see books, is limited to see data” (via El Pais)

2) El bibliotecario que se enfrentó a Google (via Público.es)

+ Translation by Systran: “The Librarian Who Faced Google” (via Público.es)

+ Translation by Google: “The librarian who challenged Google” (via Público.es)

From a Blog Post:

EFF today led a coalition of authors, publishers, companies and nonprofit organizations in sending a letter to the judge overseeing the Google Book Search settlement urging the Court to ensure that those concerned about the settlement receive adequate notice of, and have sufficient time to study and comment on, any amended settlement agreement that Google, the Authors Guild, and the Association of American Publishers present.

Those following the twists and turns of the Google Book Search settlement will recall that the original Fairness Hearing scheduled for October 7, 2009, was put off because of what the Court called: “significant issues, as demonstrated not only by the number of objections, but also by the fact that the objectors include countries, states, non-profit organizations, and prominent authors and law professors.” The Court received over 400 submissions about the settlement, including the EFF-led coalition of authors and publishers concerned about reader privacy, as well as significant concerns raised by the Department of Justice.

Read the Complete Letter Sent to the Judge Denny Chin (4 pages; PDF)

The letter was signed by a large group of people and organizations including:

+ The Open Book Alliance*
+ Amazon.com
+ The Picture
+ Archive Council Of America
+ National Writers Union
+ Electronic Frontier Foundation
+ Pamela Samuelson (UC Berkeley Law Professor)
+ Microsoft
+ Washington Legal Foundation
+ The Internet Archive
+ Consumer Watchdog
+ Lyrasisk, Nylink and Bibliographical Center for Research Rocky Mountain, Inc.
+ Public Knowledge
+ Urban Libraries Council

+ The Special Libraries Association and the The New York Library Association are two of the members of the Open Book Alliance.

Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation

It was just a few days ago when we posted that the China Written Works Copyright Society (CWWCS) was not happy with Google over copyright issues stemming from Google Book Search.

Today, in another Wall Street Journal blog post, we learn that Google has responded to CWWCS.

From the Post:

Here is the latest from Google:

“Today we have more than 50 Chinese publishers participating in Google Book Search, who together have authorized more than 30,000 books to be found through Google web search–and made available through a short preview. We also have some Chinese books that have been scanned by our Book Search library partners; in those cases, we only make the books available as a short snippet of text–as we do with web search–unless the rightsholder authorizes a greater use. We also honor rightsholders’ preferences if they ask not to be included.”

“Like all rightsholders, Chinese authors and publishers will be able to tell Google whether or not to display their books, and will be paid if the books are included in sales or subscriptions authorized under the settlement.”

Source: WSJ

See Also: Here’s How The Story Was Reported in the China Daily
Hat Tip: James Grimmelmann, The Laboratorium

A few weeks ago the D for Digitize Conference took place. It was sponsored by the New York Law School and organized by Professor James Grimmelmann. The focus of the conference was Google Book Search (GBS). The list of speakers/panelists reads like a Who’s Who of people representing all sides of the many issues being debated at the conference and elsewhere.

Now, you can watch each session online (free). Even two pre-conference tutorials are included. A list of sessions and speakers along with links to the videos can be accessed here.

Finally, if you want to read about what was discussed during a session before viewing the video or just don’t have time to watch, no worries.
Peter Hirtle from the Law Library Blog provide excellent text summaries of each session.

Law Library Blog is a co-production between Peter and Mary Minow.

See Also: Law Library Blog also has a Twitter feed at:
http://twitter.com/librarylaw