For
my text response, I read “The Digital Library Plan: But Not at Writer’s Expense”
by Nick Taylor. In this article, Nick writes about how he feels that Google’s
new project of having books online is unfair. As a writer, he feels that it is
taking money away from the publishers and the writers.
After reading this article, I see where Nick Taylor is coming from. Authors write books and get them published for their living. Google’s argument says that the writers and publishers should be happy because it will increase their exposure and could possibly lead to more book sales. As this is true, I feel as if that is not completely fair. Sure, it is increasing exposure, but if the book is online for anyone to read, not many people are going to go out and buy it. This in turn means that the author is not receiving money for it.
Along with Google, some libraries are doing the same because the copyright protections have technically expired. They claim that the amount they are having available to the public is “fair use”. I feel that “fair use” is just the right amount of information that the reader may need, meaning they do not need to purchase it.
As I feel this new project by Google and libraries is beneficial for me as a college student, needing to find research, I think it is definitely taking money away from authors. This is authors’ jobs and income, and if I am getting to read their work and use their information for free while I should be paying for it, I see that as unjust.
After reading this article, I see where Nick Taylor is coming from. Authors write books and get them published for their living. Google’s argument says that the writers and publishers should be happy because it will increase their exposure and could possibly lead to more book sales. As this is true, I feel as if that is not completely fair. Sure, it is increasing exposure, but if the book is online for anyone to read, not many people are going to go out and buy it. This in turn means that the author is not receiving money for it.
Along with Google, some libraries are doing the same because the copyright protections have technically expired. They claim that the amount they are having available to the public is “fair use”. I feel that “fair use” is just the right amount of information that the reader may need, meaning they do not need to purchase it.
As I feel this new project by Google and libraries is beneficial for me as a college student, needing to find research, I think it is definitely taking money away from authors. This is authors’ jobs and income, and if I am getting to read their work and use their information for free while I should be paying for it, I see that as unjust.
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