Indiana University is joining with 11 other major research universities in relinquishing their collective library holdings to Google for digitization and inclusion in the Google Books Search database. The 12 member Committee on Institutional Cooperation includes all of the Big Ten Conference schools along with the University of Chicago. Product Management Director Google Book Search Adam Smith says volumes that are in the public domain can be viewed in full text using the database, but copyrighted materials are a little more complicated. Under this arrangement, Google assumes much of the cost associated with the project.
This is the first time such a large consortium of universities has struck a deal with Google, but other schools have been ceding their libraries to Google for digitization since 2004. IU Interim Dean of the Libraries Patricia Steele says the digitization of materials has had dramatic results.
As part of the project, the CIC will also create its own shared digital repository to archive all the digitized works in the public domain.
