I've always figured that -- eventually -- every book published would be available online. If you're not using Google Print and other resources enabling full-text search of books, you're missing out on the start of something big -- and something that currently is pretty contentious.

The Authors Guild is suing Google over copyright concerns. Here's the transcript of a segment from NPR's "On the Media" covering the controversy.

The issue is the same one faced by the music, television and film industries; inevitably, all content will be available electronically. New distribution systems will eclipse the old ones. The publishing industry must accept this eventuality and establish a business model that works for everyone.

For public-domain books such as those published before 1923, there are no copyright issues -- so thousands can be found online thanks to the efforts of Project Gutenberg and others. I've posted a few of these books, including classics such as Walter Lippman's Public Opinion, here.

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