Goodbye to Books?

Rumor had it that Google was truing to digitize every book in the world. Turns out the rumors are true. I read an article online that revealed the website is leading an initiative to scan every published book ever written onto the internet so they can charge readers to read a copyrighted book while both they and the copyright holder take a percentage of the profit. There is now a class-action lawsuit by writers and publishers against the mega-giant who think the initiative violates their copyright laws. In order to find all the copyright owners of the world, Google has now launched an effort to alert copyright owners. Ironically enough, the majority of this effort is taking place via newspaper and magazine notices. A website has been founded and direct-mail efforts are in action as well, but Google has so far put out over 200 advertisements in over 70 languages. Some books are still in copyright, but no longer in print which means that in order to reach authors and publishers Google will have to place at least one ad in every newspaper in the world. They just recently sent one to a newspaper with a circulation of 2,500 people in the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. Aside from the craziness of this global initiative, it is hard to believe even books are becoming obsolete. Imagine what it will be like to no longer hold a book in your hands to read and instead have to state at a computer screen. I don't know if I'm ready for that.