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Always Further - A new chapter for Google and the French publishers

The publisher Hachette Livre and Google have submitted on July the 28^th 2011 the conditions of their agreement for the digitization of works commercially unavailable. Almost 50,000 print books, which rights are held by the French publishing group, would be affected . Three principles guide this agreement to respect the rights of authors and publishers. Arnaud Nourry, CEO of Hachette Livre  said that "it is a framework to start all over again, with new bases: fair, balanced and respectful of our rights". 

Indeed, Hachette Livre will choose and control the selection of works exploited. These will be available on Google Books as e-books. The publisher can also use these digital works by printing on demand, enabling again the commercialization on paper of these works  which have been removed from the physical distribution channels. Finally, Hachette Livre plans to make these works available to digital libraries and public institutions, such as the French National Library, "to put again works out of printing within the cultural heritage and available to readers."

Second French publisher to sign an agreement with the U.S. giant, La Martiniere announced on the 25^th of August 25, 2011 the end of five years of conflict. Indeed, the publishing group (Editions du Seuil, the Olivier, Points and a dozen other structures in Europe and the United States) was the first French publisher to sue Google in 2006. Their agreement is based on the same structure as the one with Hachette, the digitized works can be sold on the platform GoogeBooks, the majority of income goes to the editor in charge of the compensation for rights holders and the rest goes to the digital library "the agreement is very important because it reaffirms respect for writers and the intellectual property. "said Herve de La Martiniere, president of the publishing house.

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