Google Brings Millions of Hard-to-Find Library Books to Your Fingertips


Millions of hard-to-find books from five major libraries will soon be a lot easier to access: Google has made plans to scan and digitize them, making the books available on their widely used Internet search engine.

Google's latest endeavor is a large step beyond previous attempts to scan books so they can be read online (Google, Amazon.com and other smaller sites have offered glimpses of books and libraries online before). What makes this initiative so different is the sheer breadth of material that Google plans to cover.

Five libraries will be involved in the project in various stages:

* New York public library: Allowing Google a small portion of books no longer covered by copyright.

* Harvard University library: Is contributing a limited 40,000 volumes to guage how well the process works.

* Stanford University library: Will submit its entire collection to Google's scanners.

* Michigan University library: Will also submit its entire collection.

* Oxford University library: Contributing all its books published before 1901

To get an idea of just how large a project Google is taking on, consider that Michigan's library alone contains 7 million volumes, which is about 132 miles of books, while Harvard's library contains 15 million. The Michigan job is expected to take six years.

Although some in the field worry that this trend could signal the end of libraries, others are excited at the prospect of putting valuable information that was once limited in its use at the fingertips of all Internet users. The project will also create a digital record for material that was created before computers, thereby preserving it in a way that could not have been done in the past.

Google users will only be able to view bibliographies and other brief excerpts from the copyrighted books scanned from the libraries, while works no longer covered by copyrights will be completely available to the online public.

USA Today December 14, 2004

New York Times December 14, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Google's founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, have long vowed to make all of the world's information accessible to anyone with a Web browser. Now that vow will come closer to being implemented as Google has made an agreement with some of the nation's leading research libraries and Oxford University to begin converting their holdings into digital files that would be freely searchable over the Web.

Harvard, the University of Michigan, Stanford and the New York Public Library are some of the U.S. institutions that will be involved. The whole project will convert about 15 million books at a cost of $150 million, or about $10 per book.

Plus, the Library of Congress and a group of international libraries from the United States, Canada, Egypt, China and the Netherlands announced a plan to create a publicly available digital archive of 1 million books on the Internet. The group said it planned to have 70,000 volumes online by next April.

Doesn't that just want to make you get out of your chair and shout! I don't know about you, but I am excited.

As long as I am excited about Google I want to let you know that Google has been my home page for over seven years. Why would anyone want to have anything different?

Well, last week I changed my home page. Don't get worried, it is still Google but it is their new Google Suggest. It suggests queries as you type what you are looking for into the search box. By offering more refined searches up front, Google Suggest can make your searching more convenient and efficient, because it eliminates the need to type the entire text of a query.

In addition, the service can connect you with new query suggestions that are useful, intriguing and fun. Go ahead, try it, you might even make it your new home page. My guess is that in a few years this might be the main Google search engine.

While I am on the topic of Google, I have to tell you about the new version of Firefox 1.0. If you haven't switched to Firefox you simply must read my article on why you should do so immediately. Firefox isn't just for alpha geeks anymore. As of last week over 10 MILLION people have downloaded Firefox and installed it as their browser.

Many of you are already one of those 10 million, but the majority of you probably don't know that Firefox comes preinstalled with search engines other than Google in its toolbar.

I just found out the newest version has a neat feature where you can click the small triangle next to the bottom of the default "G" on the left of the Google search box and you will be able to use other search engines. There are three in there that I use all the time: eBay, Amazon and Dictionary.com. But I recently was able to go to a Firefox add-in page and with one click insert my favorite gadget blog Engadget so now it is one of the options.

Dr. Joseph Mercola
Author of Total HealthProgram
Founder of the renowned Optimal WellnessCenter
http://www.Mercola.com - The #1 Natural Health Site on theInternet!

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Broadband Internet Information:

Related Articles

Internet ISPs
Choosing an internet ISP is often a rash and impulsive decision, but you should put more research and time into this decision to achieve the best results. Internet ISP's are the portal by which you get onto the internet to visit websites.
3 Tips to Fix Unreliable Wireless Connections
Generally speaking, wireless computer connections are reliable. However, nothing is perfect, and sometimes you may lose your connection or experience a weak signal.
Some DSL Broadband Definitions
Often too many people get confused with all the definitions, here we have explained in easy to understand terms.ADSL:Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line - asymmetric meaning it's faster downstream than upstream.
Mind Machine Interfacing
SQUID:In 1984 I was partnered with a Cable TV engineer and founding father by the name of Ray Osborne. He was working with people developing oscillating noise loop broadband technologies.
Finger Protocol - TCP/IP Suite
The "finger" protocol is used to return information on users on a specific host. Information that can be gained by using the finger is to see if someone is actively logged on to a server, or find a valid username.
BT Broadband
Approximately 4 million people in the UK use ADSL with an extra 2 million using a cable connection, meaning 6 million people in the UK have an always-on internet connection. Of these over 1.
Dreams Come True With The Help Of Global Consciousness On The Internet
Dreams. There are two types of dreams: 1.
How to Test Your DSL and Cable Internet Connection Speed
There are two measured elements that determine your internet connection speed. They are: The download rate, and the upload rate of data measured in bits per seconds.
Broadband Connection to the Central Sun
You may have noticed the expansion of consciousness that has taken place since the Harmonic Concordance. This is due to the new Broadband connection that has been created to the Universe's Central Sun.
Webmail - What are the Benefits?
There are so many different webmail services on the internet, from the huge ones like Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, to the much smaller ones from private websites and ISPs. There is a lot to worry about with e-mail these days but some of these front line webmail services are really a great way of helping to protect your system.
Broadband Features
Internet service providers are becoming more and more present as the internet makes its way into more and more homes in America. This is making it harder to decide which ISP to subscribe to.
Unlimited Bandwidth and Overselling
One of the most controversial topics surrounding web hosting is the practice of overselling bandwidth, and rightfully so. The practice of overselling has enormous potential for disaster - ask any webmaster who has ever woken up to a cold, unforgiving "Bandwidth Exceeded" message where his or her site should be.
Wi-Fi Hotspot Security
You've set up your Boingo account, you're hanging out at the Home Turf sports bar in LAX and you figure you'll do a little business or check your e-mail while sipping a Chardonnay. Well, that's the point of Wi-Fi hotspots; being able to take care of a few things while in a relaxing atmosphere.
Two Enter Internet Battle
Consumers understand that when there is more competition in a market, there are lower prices. This is especially true in the computer industry where it is reported that 68% of households have a computer.
Broadband Satellite Antenna Pizza Box Size
Thanks to the transfer technologies and governments spending on military needs, soon the public will have Broadband Satellite antennas no larger than the dimensions of a Pizza Box. Lightening fast Internet from the heavens.
How to Choose Best ISP for Your Needs
Well, the Internet access industry is starting to shake its way out. The much-anticipated consolidation of access providers is nearing its end.
3G EV-DO or How the Internet Got Its Wings!
The Internet, as most people know it, is history.It just seems like yesterday the Internet was just onebig mass of wires and cables; a glorified file sharing warehouse with more than a few too many lines sticking out.
How to Troubleshoot Your Internet Connection for DSL or Cable Service
One of the common problems among internet users is testing theirinternet connection to pinpoint the exact problem. There is a big number of internet users who use DSL, and cable modem service.
Beta Testing First Mobile Internet Satellite Broadband, Part II
We were the first beta testers of a Mobile Command Center with full Internet Access in 1999. Our mobile command center was also the first unit with WiFi and Internet Mobile Access.
How Peer to Peer (P2P) Works
Peer to Peer (P2P) Technology- How it works:Ever wondered how P2P works? This guide will run down most of the major P2P services and how they work. Peer to Peer technology lets people share files over a network on the internet.