thoughtsignals

Google’s convtroversial Book Search is helping publishers sell more books, according to Reuters.

“Google Book Search has helped us turn searchers into consumers,” said Colleen Scollans, the director of online sales for Oxford University Press.

She declined to provide specific figures, but said that sales growth has been “significant”. Scollans estimated that 1 million customers have viewed 12,000 Oxford titles using the Google program.

This is unsurprising. There are lots and lots of books out there, most of which sell only small numbers of copies. For publishers and authors the biggest problem is simply connecting with people who are potentially interested in their books. Google, Amazon and similar services help do that. Writer and blogger Cory Doctorow has a longer, more eloquent explanation of this here.
Link to Reuters story.