Internet search services provider Google, Inc., US, has announced an agreement with French publisher Hachette Livre to scan thousands of out-of-print French books for Google's online library.
The two companies said in a statement they had settled previous disagreements and signed a memorandum of understanding that defines the terms for Google to scan Hachette Livre's French language books. Google's world book-scanning project has met resistance in France and other countries from critics who warn it undermines authors and book sellers and who have accused Google of trying to grab cultural heritage.
The agreement gives Hachette control over which books it allows Google to scan. The works will then be sold in electronic format or printed on demand. The deal is expected to benefit both authors and readers, and booksellers would profit from print-on-demand sales. Hachette will share copies of the scanned books with France's National Library and other public bodies.
Google has already signed deals to scan national library holdings in Italy, the Netherlands and Austria. The company's book-scanning operations have met strong legal challenges in the US and a number of French publishers have sued or threatened to sue Google for alleged unauthorised scanning.
According to Google and Hachette executives the US and French disputes were not affected by the deal.
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