The list of libraries, foreign and domestic, that have agreed to take part in Google’s Library Project is slowly but surely continuing to grow. Book searching with Google will now carry a touch of Ivy League sophistication as Princeton has agreed to take part in the efforts of the search company to digitize book content.
The 250-year-old Princeton library becomes the 12th partner to sign on with the Google Library Project.
Princeton University boasts a library stepped in American tradition, with an expansive catalog totaling more than six million printed works, five million manuscripts and two million nonprint items. Google and Princeton will work together in efforts to digitize approximately one million public domain books from these collections.
“Generations of Princeton librarians have devoted themselves to building a remarkable collection of books in thousands of subjects and dozens of languages,” University Librarian Karin Trainer said.
“Having the portion of that collection not covered by copyright available online will make it easier for Princeton students and faculty to do research, and joining the Google partnership allows us to share our collection with researchers worldwide, a step very much in keeping with the University’s unofficial motto of Princeton in the nation’s service and in the service of all nations.”
The number of partners in the Google Library Project continues to grow along with anticipation of Google’s digital bookstore; a service the company has admitted is one of its long-term goals in digitizing print content for online consumption.
With such a historic and well respected library joining the fray, it will be interesting to see if others follow suit by partnering with Google to make their content available as part of Google’s Book Search.
Even so, it’s difficult to replicate the feeling of holding a book in the palm of your hands. This, more so than forming new partnerships, is the true challenge facing the Google Library Project.
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Joe is a staff writer for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest ebusiness news.
