Tim
I can only speculate, but I would guess OCLC expects a satisfactory settlement to the present Google Books litigation, in which case the content of these books will be made available under conditions to be set out in the settlement. Beyond this, the passage of time will eventually bring this content into the public domain. From this perspective, the presence of these records in WorldCat can be seen as "anticipatory". It can also be argued that the various metadata available on the Google Books website for the book--augmented in some cases by selective access to the text ("snippet" view and "limited preview")--serves a discovery function independent of online access to the full text and so explains the presence of these records in WorldCat.
Ed
PS: I realized after a more careful reading of your message that you had already done what I suggested in my reply. Sorry. This is the daily danger of information overload--I skim what I would formerly have read more carefully, then shoot off an "answer" based on that imperfect initial reading.
-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Tim Watters
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 5:49 AM
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: [NGC4LIB] Book-scanning projects - a question
Thanks Ed. Actually, I clicked on the "find a copy online" link but your second sentence is exactly what I am asking; namely, why is OCLC adding bib records describing carriers of inaccessible content? Is OCLC assuming Google will make these available? I made the remark about print items because in the past I've been told that these Google Books bib records in WorldCat help people find print materials which is just a non sequitur since the print bib records are already in WorldCat.
Tim W.
Tim Watters
WattersT_at_michigan.gov
Special Materials Cataloger
Library of Michigan
702 W. Kalamazoo St.
P.O. Box 30007
Lansing, MI 48909-7507
517-373-3071
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I think you clicked on "Google" under "Find a copy in the library" (which links to the default Google Books search page) rather than "Google" under "Find a copy online" (which links to the page for this book in Google Books). Since the book was published in 1943, its contents are still protected by copyright and so not accessible.
Ed Jones
Received on Wed Jul 14 2010 - 12:30:50 EDT