Stung by a publishing industry backlash, Google Inc. has halted its efforts to scan copyrighted books from some of the nation’s largest university libraries so the material can be indexed in its leading Internet search engine. The company announced the suspension, effective until November, in a notice posted on its Web site just before midnight Thursday by Adam Smith, the manager of its ambitious program to convert millions of books into a digital format.

“We think most publishers and authors will choose to participate in the publisher program in order (to) introduce their work to countless readers around the world,” Smith wrote. “But we know that not everyone agrees, and we want to do our best to respect their views too.”

Google wants publishers to notify the company which copyrighted books they don’t want scanned, effectively requiring the industry to opt out of the program instead of opting in. That approach rankled the Association of American Publishers. Read More ….

(Source: ABC News)