Google Books deal will create largest online library in the world

Google has moved a step closer to creating the world's biggest on-line library.

The search engine has struck a landmark deal in the U.S. with publishers and writers allowing it to digitally scan and store their books.

The controversial proposals have received preliminary approval from some British publishing bodies.

A screen grab from the current Google Books service. The internet giant is attempting to create the world's largest online library

But some authors in this country remain angry over what is seen as Google's high-handed attitude to making books available online.

They are still unhappy that Google initially starting scanning books without permission - and fear that their copyright could be infringed.

Google has reached a provisional settlement with American writers' groups which would allow books published in the U.S., Britain, Canada or Australia to be available online to American users.



A deal for UK readers is likely to follow within 12 months.



Pages from Lewis Caroll's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland can be read on Google books. Readers can then click 'Buy' to find where this edition is available

The new service will allow scholars, students and readers to search, preview and purchase online access to the works.

Under the deal, authors receive a one-off payment for their work, followed by further reimbursement depending on how often their material is used.



Google has said it has already copied ten million books, seven million of which were out of print.

For legal reasons, it has not said which titles it has copied.

Google Books, as its online library service is known, already offers classics such as Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island and Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe to be read for free online. These are directly scanned from the book with illustrations.



Google announced it had been converting books into digital form in 2004, prompting legal action by a number of rights holders in the U.S.



Yesterday Mark Le Fanu, of the Society of Authors, said: 'The settlement is particularly aimed at making out-of-print books available online in a way that's controlled and under which authors and publishers will get some payment.'

But not all publishers are welcoming the deal.

Anthony Cheetham, director of Atlantic Books, said: 'We should be extremely cautious about ceding rights to any organisation in this sort of default manner.'

But Simon Juden, of the Publishers Association, said failing to support the deal would have deprived British writers and rights holders of control over how their work was used.