Searching: Microsoft Adds Copyright Titles; Google Co-Brands

by Jim Milliot, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 6/1/2007

Microsoft and Google announced additions to their book search programs this morning. At Microsoft, the company said that it has added copyrighted material to its Live Book Search function. Previously, Live Book Search included only public domain and out-of-copyright material. Microsoft declined to disclose the number of titles that are now part of Live Book Search, but released a partial list of publishers that have contributed books. The list begins with Academic Resources Corp. and ends with Yale University Press. Live Book Search is still in the testing stage, although it could go live later this year.

Leading search engine company Google officially announced the launch of its co-branded search program that it has been developing for several months. Under the program, Google will add search capability directly to a publisher's Web site. The service is free to any publisher that is part of Google Book Search, but at least 75% of a publisher's list must be searchable. Publishers can limit the searches to the books they provide on Google Book Search and can include links that will direct browsers to a publisher's own online store.