Google Books - Good Vs. Good Enough

Examining The Purpose and Function of Google Books Project

(Live Law)

But several things have united them all: a common purpose for the true good of the community, the highest standards of quality in both technology and content, and a deep-seated and long-abiding concern for the curation, and wide dissemination, of our cultural heritage as a living process that goes beyond commodification.                                                                                                                                        -    Ronald G. Musto

As suggested above by Ronald G. Musto, digitization projects usually work to provide high quality digital resources to render information more accessible for the masses. In the case of the culturally-important artifacts, libraries play a major role in carefully preserving our past to ensure that primary resources will be available for future generations. Similar to libraries and publishers, one could argue that Google is another major working body that manages information and makes information digitally accessible to the public. In parallel with library efforts to digitally preserve and house information for future generations, Google Books Project hopes to "make it easier for people to find relevant books – specifically, books they wouldn't find any other way such as those that are out of print – while carefully respecting authors' and publishers' copyrights" (Google Books). In digitizing tens of thousands of materials, Google Books has undertaken quite an endeavor which has revolutionized the public's ability to access information. As a result of rendering primary sources digitally accessible, this project has caused a litigious ripple effect on behalf of publishers and authors whose work they feel should not be made "free" online.

On a more basic level though, beyond the nuances of ownership and copyright, Google has at times diminished the quality of the information they have digitized. In their rush "to create a comprehensive, searchable, virtual card catalog of all books in all languages," the quality of digital renderings persists error-filled digital versions (Google Books). Musto argues that the project guaranteed "a valuable, reliable, open-access research tool" to benefit the greater public good, but has not produced these results. The (mis)treatment of some primary sources has resulted in scanned pages that depict the hands of the archivists and whole sets of missing pages.

Distorted maps, scanning machinery, disembodied hands, folded pages, and even more errors can be found on BuzzFeed's 21 Google Book Scans That Bring Surprising Intimacy To The Digital Book World and on a Tumblr titled, The Art of Google Books.

(Wikipedia)

Last page of De morbis puerorum Tractatus shows the tip of a finger at the bottom of the page (scanned by Google Books)

While the accessibility and searchability of Google Books is a great feat, authenticity and quality should not to be taken for granted when it comes to the preservation of cultural artifacts and documents. Whether an academic or a public library, patrons coming to use library services depend on the quality of the information provided to maintain a high degree of relevancy, quality, and credibility.

Questioning quality control is definitely important when one thinks about the populations of individuals that will seek access to these materials. Downloading an Ebook as a PDF or an EPUB could benefit disabled patrons immensely, especially considering digitally-accessed books allow users to manipulate settings to read text in a larger print or change the screen color. Catering to the cognitive or physical impairment certain users possess allows for greater equality, inclusion, and  dissemination of information. Not all individuals have access to this EReaders or computers, which is where libraries can play a role in providing the tools to facilitate the access to resources like Google Books.

While Google Books does have some improvements to make on the quality of the materials that they provide, there is something to be said about the open-access element of this concept. In rendering materials publicly-accessible, Google helps those who struggle to read and access print materials transcend barriers that otherwise restrict access.


Works Cited

Musto, Ronald G. "Google Books Mutilates the Printed past." Chronicle of Higher Education, vol. 55, no. 39, 12 June 2009, p. B4. EBSCOhost, login.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=42531452&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Orme, Richard. “Technology Brings New Era for Readers with Disabilities.” Elsevier Connect, 24 Oct. 2013, www.elsevier.com/connect/technology-brings-new-era-for-readers-with-disabilities.

Townsend, Robert B. "Google Books: Is It Good for History?." Perspectives on History, vol. 45, no. 6, Sept. 2007, pp. 45-47. EBSCOhost, login.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=31h&AN=26471581&site=ehost-live&scope=site.