Google to Scan Rome and Florence Libraries

By Siobhan O’Leary

Google’s international march continues, this time straight to Rome. The firm has announced an agreement with the Italian culture ministry to scan up to a million books from the national libraries of Rome and Florence. Similar to its deal with the city of Lyon’s library (covered earlier by Publishing Perspectives), Google will cover the cost of scanning the books and set up a local scanning facility. According to a report in the Telegraph, the agreement covers books that are out of copyright and were published before 1868.

About the Author

Siobhan O'Leary

Siobhan O’Leary is a literary agent, translator and writer based in Berlin. She previously worked in the Foreign Rights department of the Crown Publishing Group (Random House) and at the publishing consulting firm Market Partners International.