Google announces ambitious plan to digitize pending litigation: "

Google's claim that its Google Print Library Project, an effort to create a searchable library of all the world's books, is covered by the 'fair use' provision of the copyright law isn't going over well with the publishing industry. In September, the Author's Guild filed a class-action copyright infringement lawsuit over the service (see 'Google Print soon to be world's largest searchable archive of copyright suits'). Now, the Association of American Publishers has sued as well, angered that the company dismissed its proposal that it use the ISBN book numbering system to identify works under copyright and secure proper permission. ‘The publishing industry is united behind this lawsuit against Google and united in the fight to defend their rights,’ AAP President Patricia Schroeder said in a statement. ‘While authors and publishers know how useful Google's search engine can be and think the Print Library could be an excellent resource, the bottom line is that under its current plan Google is seeking to make millions of dollars by freeloading on the talent and property of authors and publishers. If Google can scan every book in the English language, surely they can utilize ISBNs. By rejecting the reasonable ISBN solution, Google left our members no choice but to file this suit.'

(Via Good Morning Silicon Valley.)