Google Books

Mass Digitization and the Implications for Public Libraries

Authors

  • Toni Beaton Dalhousie University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder106

Keywords:

digitization, Google Books, collection development, public libraries, open access, metadata, interlibrary loans, copyright

Abstract

Google Books has become a forerunner in the process of mass digitization of turning physical books into online books. With more than 30 million books digitized, Google Books is an online platform that enables worldwide access to a vast variety of literature. Although this platform has created an opportunity for more free and open access to books for the public, Google Books has been met with copyright lawsuits from authors around the globe. This research paper covers a history of this mass digitization project, and considers how Google Books has impacted the traditional services of public libraries, including reference, interlibrary loans, and collection development decision-making. In an analysis of the content, quality, and accessibility of online resources on Google Books, it is recommended that the platform is used only as a complementary resource to a public library’s collection, and not as a replacement for online library collections.

Pathfinder journal cover for 2025 volume 5, issue 1

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Published

2025-03-08

How to Cite

Beaton, T. (2025). Google Books: Mass Digitization and the Implications for Public Libraries. Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals, 5(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder106

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (2025): Regular Issue

Section

Scholarly Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Toni Beaton

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