Google Print

Google Print is a long term project by Google to build a virtual library of written works, building on the original Project Gutenberg concept. The project will accept books from both library and publishing sources and will reference them so they can be included in standard Google searches. Clicking on a book link will, inter alia, open up opportunities to read reviews, locate a hard copy in a library and, possibly the most attractive aspect, allow you to read a complete copy if it is in the public domain.

In typically predictable Gallic fashion, the French have risen to the defence of their written word and have suggested that the non-Anglophone nations of Europe set up a different scheme. Jean-Noël Jeanneney, head of France's Bibliothèque Nationale (national library) is urging the EU to counteract Google's proposal with an alternative programme with its own search engines. Jacques Chirac has also weighed into the argument in support of Jeanneney. I personally think this is a fine idea, having an online library of the works of Balzac, Molière, Proust et al. is very appealing.

While I was checking out the French National Library web-site I went to the search page. What did I find there but the Google search engine...  There's obviously a wee bit more work to do before the French can claim that they've successfully cast off the yoke of American cultural imperialism.

Comments

[Fi]

Surely they could just have a French language section of an international Google driven library?

[David (TEFL Smiler)]

Ha ha ha, that's so funny, that they currently use Google on their site! They're just pissed off that Google's only using American and Oxford Uni libraries. But Google, as a company, owes them nothing. It's great if Google's action can inspire others, but a political thing shouldn't be made of it. Oh, unless your name is Chirac, and you're likely to get arrested and imprisoned once you leave office, due to your (alleged) gangster-like activities. Hmm, I think I'd want to do popular things if I was him, too.

[IanH]

Yes, they could quite easily, Fi, but it'd be most un-Frenchlike behaviour to actually co-operate with the exercise !

Old Chirac certainly knows how to play the crowd, David - deflect some heat with a bit of anti-US ranting masquerading as French/European cultural independence.

So long as we end up with online access to the assorted works of the literary greats who cares how we get there ?

[David (TEFL Smiler)]

But Ian, we already have "online access to the assorted works of the literary greats".

For example: http://teflsmiler.typepad.com

[IanH]

Precisely, David, that's why you're already on my blogroll ;-)