France works with Google on book scans

France has now said it will work with internet giant Google to help it scan French books onto an online database, but warned it would not give legal control of its heritage to the company.

Culture minister Frederic Mitterrand said he would discuss with Google the country’s involvement in its scheme, but also said the country will move ahead with its own digitisation plans.

“We are going to propose to Google… an exchange of documents, without exclusivity, in a transparent way and with respect for the authors,” the minister told Le Monde newspaper.

The dispute between France and Google began when the company started processing French works into its Google Books project. The country was distrustful of the project, fearing its cultural works could be put into private control.