Google fans begin counteroffensive against Library critics

Google is benefitting from some common-sense counterattacks on critics of its Google Book Search and Library programs.

Obviously, the pendulum has been swinging in one direction too long. Google has taken a public-relations beating on grounds of copyright infringement, and much of the criticism has been either disingenuous or just wrong.

USA Today tech correspondent Kevin Maney weighed in this week, arguing that "[t]he misinformation and misguided attempts to stop these projects are mind-blowing."

Maney rightly points out that Google Print and Google Library don't threaten publishers, because the programs are much the same as Amazon.com's "Search Inside the Book" feature, which has helped publishers stay afloat by boosting book sales for the past couple years. And exposure of niche titles on Google probably will boost sales even further.