We wanted to join the publisher program so that we could make sure our listings are all correct (and ours!!). However, if we join now, it would seem that we are still required to submit to the current “rules” about content display etc such as 20%-100% of the book and only collecting revenue from ads (I understand that they haven’t started selling direct pdfs or subscriptions to libraries yet).

We’re not comfortable with this and would prefer snippets or 10%.

Do you think we should wait to sign up until after the settlement has been agreed upon to make sure we are included in the new rights granted to publishers? I don’t want the fact that we sign up now to be some sort of confirmation that we AGREE with how google has handled this to date…

Thanks for any advice!
-Lauren

I’m assuming BEA is “Book Expo America” (formerly known as the American Booksellers Association Convention). (I’m guessing this because a Google search for “BEA May 2009″ pulled up the Book Expo America website.) It would seem to make since to put these two events (the BEA convention and the final settlement/fairness hearing) closer together. Hopefully Judge Sprizzo will listen to your request and rearrange the calendar.

The date is set as part of a schedule based on the date of the class notice, so unless many rights holders request that the date be changed, the judge may not be willing. Call the judge’s office or send him a letter asking for this change if you would like to attend the hearing.

– Limited printing abilities. Public Library users have to pay a per-page fee.

– no downloads, so it’s not iTunes for books. Even purchasers can only view the material– not download it.

– no remote access unless you’re part of a big participating institution.

– public libraries only get one terminal to view books– big deal– nobody wants to read a book on a library computer.

Public domain monies– if accidentally collected– go to the Registry to be distributed and stay there, even if identified later to have been wrongfully collected for PD works. Say what?!! — that gives Google and the Registry a great incentive NOT to identify post 1922 PD works very quickly.

Google says they will set up a PD database, and identify all PD works, but when– they still have not released all their PD works in full view.

All in all– pretty mickey mouse. Not that much to cheer about. Kind of a racket.

As for the rights registry, this is a good idea, and Google has already done significant work to assemble and distribute it as a huge XML file. Setting up a a forward going maintenance plan and organization is good.

The agreement seems generally corrupt