Kind eReader,

Face it, a lot of what happens regarding electronic reading is not so much in the hands of consumers like us, but in the hands of the big commercial movers and shakers whose decisions shape the Internet.

Last month we took another look at what Amazon is up to. Since I wrote that column, word on the street is that Amazon will be releasing its proprietary Mobipocket format ereading device, Kindle, very soon, and that it will cost more than $400. In my opinion, at that price point Amazon is not going to be swaying the market very much, which is disappointing.

But Amazon is not the only big force affecting technology and the Internet. The truly Big Guy is, in fact, Google. The world’s most prominent search engine is constantly seeking ways to control more and more of the Internet pie, and one of their current projects could possibly have a huge impact on our reading and book shopping habits.

It’s called Google Book Search, and there are two aspects to the technology about which you should know.

First of all, GBS is conducting a huge project involving libraries, systematically scanning literally millions of books in print into a mind-boggling searchable database. No one is sure how many books they have already scanned, but one estimate puts it over 17 million. Google seriously aims eventually to include every book in this database. The project has withstood numerous lawsuits already, mostly from publishers who consider this activity to be copyright infringement. However, Google’s position is that they are merely creating a super-complete “card catalog.” GBS does not allow users to view or download entire books, merely sample selections where their search terms happen to appear.

Meanwhile, Google also offers publishers the opportunity to provide their books to GBS for inclusion, in exchange for certain benefits. If a searcher turns up a book, a buy link also appears, so that the searcher may easily purchase the book from the publisher or other key online retailers. The publisher also earns fees for ads clicked on the page.

There is a third, just as interesting, aspect to GBS that is in the works for launch in the near future. Publishers will have the option of selling the ability to view their books online in their entirety right through Google Book Search. In other words, if you search on “vampire romance” and turn up a book, read the excerpt and find it really intriguing, you can pay immediately to be able to read the entire book online.

It seems to me Google is really using its noggin. Everything that’s booming on the Internet these days has to do with user-tailored content; that is, creating means for users to get the media they want the way they want it, when they want it. Google Book Search does just that: it helps readers find EXACTLY what they are looking for, then gives them options how they can acquire that content. It may be just a snippet they need for research, or a paperback on a subject they enjoy but are willing to wait a few days for, or digital content served up immediately online.

This is the opposite approach from what Amazon is doing, which is trying to dictate both the format and the hardware readers must utilize if they want electronic books (with a hefty price tag, at that).

Needless to say, after learning about Google Book Search, I immediately uploaded digital versions of the entire Living Beyond Reality Press catalog. I’m very anxious to see what kind of traffic and sales this program generates…and of course, being Google, they provide complete, detailed tracking.

It also excites me as a reader to USE Google Book Search. I can find books on the very subject I’m interested in, and actually view the relevant pages. GBS provides good sized samples so you can make an informed decision as to the value of the book. I know with this ability I’ll be purchasing more books online, both print and electronic. And if it works for me, I know it will work for the potential readers of my own books.

My hat is off to Google for engineering a way to bring books and readers together, to the benefit of all parties concerned. I can’t wait to see where it all leads.

eRead on,

Diana

Diana Laurence is the author of the Soulful Sex anthologies of erotic romance fiction, and released her new paperback “Soulful Sex: The Paranormal, Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection” in March. Diana’s works are published by Living Beyond Reality Press (www.livingbeyondreality.com.) Visit her at www.dianalaurence.com or enjoy her blog at www.eroticawithsoul.blogspot.com.

Filed Under: Life of e May 2007	About the Book: