InternetArchive/LibrariesPartnership

Today, a number of International libraries have committed to putting their digitized books in open-access archives, starting with one at the Internet Archive. This approach will ensure permanent and public access to our published heritage. Anyone with an Internet connection will have access to these collections and the growing set of tools to make use of them. In this way we are getting closer to the goal of Universal Access to All Knowledge.

I was glad to read that the vnunet.com Internet Archive is building an alternative to the project by Google and its partner libaries to digitize books:

Ten major international libraries have agreed to combine their digitised book collections into a free text-based archive hosted online by the not-for-profit Internet Archive. All content digitised and held in the text archive will be freely available to online users.

I've been hoping for insurance against any monopolistic moves that Google (and its partner libraries!) might be make with a lock on a huge collection of digital books.