10/26/05

I have no objection to having my published/copyrighted works made available to the public via the Google Print Library Project.

Objecting to the Google Print Library Project is like objecting to having your books in the public library. Google will not print out entire books, but rather allow access to parts of your book that may help a researcher or reader. In turn, your work will become better known—the process may even sell a copy.

In my opinion, writers should be much more upset over the hidden clause in publishers' contract that allow publishers to drastically reduce your rate of royalty if they sell your book at over a 50% discount (or 55%, or 60%) from the retail price—in other words, if they sell your book to Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, or some other powerful chain. Don't let anybody fool you: the writer's greatest enemy is not Google; it's the publisher!

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