Still embroiled in controversy over its plans to digitize several of the world's largest library collections, Google is inviting U.S. and U.K. publishers to sell online access to their copyright texts through its book search site.

Right now, Google Book Search users can view free snippets of copyright books catalogued by its service but cannot read entire books online. They have the option of perusing a full version by clicking on links to outside booksellers or library catalogs.

The new offering would allow people to sign in and purchase immediate, browser-based access to books, Google said on its site. Purchasers would not, however, be allowed to save a copy of the book to their computer or to otherwise copy pages from the book.

Google is marketing the new program as the first of several tools intended to help book publishers boost their revenues, though it was unclear Monday how many had signed up. Pricing would remain entirely at the book publisher's discretion.

Such a business model appears similar to plans hatched last fall by Amazon.com and Random House, which is the world's largest trade publisher. The two companies announced services through which people could purchase online access to anywhere from a few pages of a book to an entire work. Book vendors would set the prices for the purchased pages.


Full article: C|net News.com


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