Amazon working on book search database

Dom · Jul 21, 2003, 08:40 PM

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Amazon.com executives are working with several large book publishers to develop an expansive online archive that would let users search the texts of tens of thousands of books, The New York Times has reported.

The plan, being negotiated by Amazon and the publishers, would build a program called Look Inside the Book II, through which browsers could pull up a list of books mentioning certain search words or terms, the newspaper said on Monday, citing several of the publishing executives involved.

Users who register could then see several pages around the result of the search, but the total amount anyone could view from a single book would be limited, the report said.

Publishers cited by The New York Times said they had been cooperative with Amazon, though they were guarding against experiments with reference books, cookery books, or other non-fiction works where a few pages might be all a browser needed.

The plan could help Amazon counter competition from Google and Yahoo, which pull potential shoppers away from its site, and broaden Amazon's appeal as an authoritative information source, the report said.

Amazon appeared to be devoting significant resources to the plan, The New York Times said. The Internet retailer is paying to have thousands of texts entered into its database, and books not already in digital format would have to be scanned at a cost of more than $200 each, sources told the newspaper.

The Times said it was not clear how many books Amazon planned to have scanned.

An Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment for the article, and the company could not be reached for comment early on Monday.

Publishing executives told The New York Times that Amazon had asked them to keep plans for the service confidential until it starts up, potentially in the fall.

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Source: Reuters

Jul 21, 2003, 08:40 PM	#1
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,940 Rep Power: 0	Amazon working on book search database NEW YORK (Reuters) - Amazon.com executives are working with several large book publishers to develop an expansive online archive that would let users search the texts of tens of thousands of books, The New York Times has reported. The plan, being negotiated by Amazon and the publishers, would build a program called Look Inside the Book II, through which browsers could pull up a list of books mentioning certain search words or terms, the newspaper said on Monday, citing several of the publishing executives involved. Users who register could then see several pages around the result of the search, but the total amount anyone could view from a single book would be limited, the report said. Publishers cited by The New York Times said they had been cooperative with Amazon, though they were guarding against experiments with reference books, cookery books, or other non-fiction works where a few pages might be all a browser needed. The plan could help Amazon counter competition from Google and Yahoo, which pull potential shoppers away from its site, and broaden Amazon's appeal as an authoritative information source, the report said. Amazon appeared to be devoting significant resources to the plan, The New York Times said. The Internet retailer is paying to have thousands of texts entered into its database, and books not already in digital format would have to be scanned at a cost of more than $200 each, sources told the newspaper. The Times said it was not clear how many books Amazon planned to have scanned. An Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment for the article, and the company could not be reached for comment early on Monday. Publishing executives told The New York Times that Amazon had asked them to keep plans for the service confidential until it starts up, potentially in the fall. _____________________ Source: Reuters