Along Came Google

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This book recounts the history of the controversial Google Books project and the quest for a universal digital library. Libraries have long aimed to provide comprehensive access to information for everyone. However, when Google announced in 2004 its plan to digitize books, it sparked debates about the roles of libraries, the rights of authors and publishers, and the implications of a powerful corporation serving as a conduit for public knowledge. The narrative explores the history of Google's initiative and its future implications, drawing on in-depth interviews with supporters and critics, including librarians, technologists, university leaders, and publishing executives. It examines earlier digital efforts to provide open access to knowledge and details how Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page advocated for a universal digital library, leveraging their company's financial resources to realize this vision. The book also discusses the legal responses organized by librarians and scholars against Google and highlights the missed opportunities stemming from a failed settlement. Ultimately, it sheds light on the transformative impact of the Google Books project on scholarship and encourages imaginative and collaborative approaches to expanding digital access to knowledge.