Google wins case against Authors' Guild regarding scanning of books

Excellent news for researchers

This week finally saw judgement delivered in the law suit which the Authors Guild filed against Google / Google Books in an attempt to stop Google scanning millions of books

"After eight years of litigation—including three years in which the parties stumped together for an ill-fated, controversial settlement—Judge Denny Chin last week dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Authors Guild over Google’s mass scanning of library books. In the process, he delivered a crushing blow to opponents of digitization: not only did Chin find Google Books to be legal, he all but declared it totally awesome.......

....... Google’s victory represents a new high-water mark. After years of legal uncertainty, fair use advocates, including libraries and universities as well as tech companies, could emerge in a position of strength, especially in the legislative arena, and at a time when talk of copyright reform is gaining momentum. “If the decisions are affirmed, it will underscore the idea that fair use is a better approach at this point for libraries and higher ed than engaging in endless, and likely unproductive, negotiations with rights holders over legislation......."