IFLA welcomes US Court decision on legality of Google Books digitization; cautions against growing digital information divide for libraries elsewhere | IFLA

"As an organization committed to the principle of freedom of access to information, and the belief that equitable access to information is vital to the educational and cultural well-being of communities, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) welcomes the decision of the US District Court with regards to the legality of the Google Books project ... It is this balance between the rights of users and owners that IFLA is seeking to achieve for libraries internationally. IFLA is concerned that the US District Court’s decision reflects a widening digital divide between what libraries are able to accomplish in the Unites States, as compared with the rest of the world. IFLA represents more than 1500 library associations and institutions in over 150 countries, many of whom are operating under a patchwork of restrictive copyright provisions ill-suited for the digital environment. IFLA maintains that access to digital library collections of the scale and nature of the Google Books project can be an unprecedented source for the advancement of learning and human development, and that this access should be universal ..."