Digitizing Books

Moderated by Marvin Kalb, the panelists debated all sides of the topic, "Whose Work Is It, Anyway? The Google Print Project and the Future of the Written Word." They talked primarily about books being digitized and posted on the Internet, without any payments to writers. Google Print is scanning books under agreements with several major research libraries, and litigation on the issue is pending in the courts. This project was variously considered a program of corporate theft, a laudable act of cultural preservation, or a marketing opportunity for writers and publishers. After their presentations the panelists responded to audience members' questions.