Google Books
Mass Digitization and the Implications for Public Libraries
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder106Mots-clés :
digitization, Google Books, collection development, public libraries, open access, metadata, interlibrary loans, copyrightRésumé
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.
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© Toni Beaton 2025
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