Battle Brewing Over Online Library Depot

Google wants to be the biggest Internet library, but if some competitors (one of which is very active in the e-book space) get their way, it won't happen without a fight.

That's because two years after Google announced its intentions (following a lawsuit agreement with publishers and authors), Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo are now claiming the search titan is trying to monopolize the universal library system, as reported by the BBC.

OK, I'm not stupid. I know what the fuss is about. It's about money, as Amazon wants its book site to the be the one place people grab e-reader versions of new, old and out-of-publication tomes.

Microsoft obviously sees a revenue channel somewhere in its future when it comes to e-reading, likely on the mobile front as most smartphone system makers realize mobile gadgets will surpass the beauty of today's e-readers like Sony's devices, Amazon's Kindle or even the upcoming Plastic Logic e-reader that Barnes and Noble will be selling early next year.

Yahoo's interest? OK, I admit to being a bit stumped on its involvement as they have no e-reader product or online book registry of which I'm aware. I can only think they're on the bandwagon given their recent partnership with Microsoft and joining the fight as Redmond's best new friend on the Web playground.

The thing is, from the start, Google has only wanted to do good and until they do bad, I'm on their side.

The online book registry effort in dispute was borne from a lawsuit Google settled with author and writers' groups in 2004 over inappropriate copyright use as it launched its digital book efforts.

As part of a settlement with the Association of American Publishers and the Authors Guild, Google is building a $34.5-million “Book Rights Registry” to help locate rights holders and ensure that they receive the money their works earn under the Google agreement.

Google's class action settlement with the Authors Guild, the Association of American Publishers and a handful of authors and publishers was considered a win-win by everyone involved.

What is being created is an independent, not-for-profit Book Rights Registry to represent authors, publishers and other rights-holders. As Google noted, it will help current authors sell more books, publishers open up "preview" and purchase models to readers, and most importantly, put out-of-print books back into readers' hands.

So back off Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo. Just because you didn't come up with the fantastic idea to be the online library of the future isn't Google's problem, and you shouldn't let pride or the drive to make money get in the way of what will be likely be one of the greatest efforts in spurring literacy worldwide.

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