Google Book Settlement affects Monash authors

The Google Book Settlement is relevant to anyone who has written and published works prior to January 2009.

In 2004 Google started a digitisation and online publishing project, the ‘Google Library project’, scanning the collections of various participating libraries across the world. The scanning project included both works out of copyright and works still in copyright. No copyright permissions were sought.

The Google Book Settlement is an out-of-court settlement that resulted from a class action filed by groups in America for copyright infringement by Google. Though the class action was decided in America it nevertheless affects and applies to all authors and publishers worldwide.

All Monash authors are advised to go to the Settlement website, register as an author and search for their works on the Settlement book registry.

Authors should read the advice presented on the University’s Copyright website and take appropriate action before the following deadlines:

1. By September 4, 2009 – owners wishing to opt out of the Settlement must do so before this date. The default position (if one does nothing) is that an author/publisher is automatically ‘in’ the Settlement. Note that opting out of the Settlement does not stop Google from scanning or making use of your work. Opting out means that you intend to pursue your own case against Google through the American court system.  
2. By January 5, 2010 – owners of works already scanned must claim their works before this date to receive the damages payment on offer through the Settlement.
3. By April 5, 2011 - owners of works who remain in the Settlement but wish to have their works ‘removed’ from the Google books database must have claimed their works and requested removal before this date.

27 August 2009

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