In a move to address critics' concerns regarding the acceptability of Google's book-scanning settlement with authors and publishers, for creating the biggest online library, Google has re-negotiated its book digitization accord with the University of Michigan (UM) - one of its foremost partners in the endeavor involving 29 libraries.

IBNA: According to topnews.us, as per the Google-UM deal, the university would get digital copies of all books on its shelves. It would not only get increased rights to distribute its copies of the digitized works, but also to protest the pricing plan of full-text institutional subscriptions to the countless digitized books.

According to UM, the changes in the deal would fortify its library-preservation efforts and improve public access to books. In addition, Google would have to put in millions of dollars for funding two new research centers, which will allow scholars the access to digitized works.

The Google Book Search project was sued in 2005 by the Authors Guild, who contested that Google was not legally authorized to digitize their works and use them in search results - as it would amount to privatizing America's libraries, with Google having a monopoly!

However, defending Google's book settlement, Dan Clancy, the company's engineering director, said: "Our agreement with authors and publishers will allow anyone in the U. S. to benefit from the wealth of knowledge contained in our nation's most renowned libraries."

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