PW Survey: Librarians On the Fence Regarding Google Settlement

More say they’re unsure about settlement approval than say they support or oppose it.

Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 08/20/2009

• Support, opposition for initial lawsuit equal—and small
• Few librarians plan to file comments
• Few librarians have standing
• Still, librarians play crucial role

(For a set of links, go to LibraryJournal.com/GoogleBookSearchSettlement.)

Just as library organizations have criticized the proposed Google Book Search settlement without formally opposing it, rank-and-file librarians are on the fence about the settlement, according to a new survey of stakeholders by Publishers Weekly. The magazine shared preliminary findings with the LJ Academic Newswire in advance of a cover story appearing August 24.

Some 225 librarians were surveyed, among a larger sample mainly drawingfrom the publishing industry. Regarding court approval of the settlement, 37% said they were unsure, while 29% supported the settlement and 21.5% said they opposed it.

Also, only 25% of librarians surveyed said they supported the initial lawsuits by publishers and the Authors Guild, while 25% opposed the filing. The rest had no opinion.

Few plan to file comments or take action; 49% said they planned to take no action, and 43% are undecided. Only 3% said they have standing to participate in the settlement, while nearly 30% said they were unsure.

Of librarians polled, a slight majority indicated they were familiar with the terms of the settlement: 11% said they were very familiar with the terms of the settlement; 40% are somewhat familiar; 26% are vaguely familiar; and 23% are not at all familiar with the terms.

The role of librarians
Though few librarians have standing to participate in the settlement, Google Book Search could not exist without libraries. Librarians provide the books to Google for scanning; they curate millions of out-of-print volumes, often with public money, years after publishers and authors have walked away from them. They are also a major part of the deal going forward, as they comprise the market for institutional subscriptions.

In comments, librarians voiced strong concerns about pricing, orphan works, privacy, and public access issues—issues generally not often raised in the comments of other stakeholders. That suggests that librarians are indeed providing a vital public voice in the settlement process.

Methodology
On July 16, a twelve-question, unscientific readership survey was sent to readers of the e-newsletters PW Daily, Children’s Bookshelf, and the Library Journal Academic Newswire. (These publications are associated with Reed Business Information’s Publishing Group, including Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and Library Journal.) 

The survey also was circulated on several blogs. It generated some 890 total responses and more than 900 written comments.

The sample of respondents included librarians (26%); authors (28%); publishers, including self-publishers (25%). The rest were literary agents, booksellers, bloggers, foreign rightsholders, lawyers and others. The survey was not restricted to class members—authors and publishers—in the suit.

Read more Newswire stories:

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