Re: Google Print - Peter Brantley in Chronicle of Higher Ed

["B.G. Sloan" <bgsloan2@yahoo.com>]

   I liked this one:

Q. How does Google Book Search hurt libraries?

A. The libraries have to make a significant commitment in terms 
of getting their books to Google. The books have to come off the 
shelves. Then after being scanned they have to be put back on the 
shelves. And this resource drain is going to limit the ability of 
libraries to engage in other activities.

   My comment: Doesn't it seem like the cost of taking a book off 
a shelf and putting it back on the shelf would be well worth the 
cost of getting the book digitized for "free"? That is, wouldn't 
it be cheaper to absorb the cost of moving the book to and from 
the shelf with "free" digization, rather than the cost of moving 
the book back and forth PLUS the cost of digitization by going 
with something other than Google?

   Bernie Sloan