National Federation of the Blind Applauds Landmark Ruling in Authors Guild v. Google

Decision Will Allow Access to Millions of Books by the Blind

Baltimore, Maryland (November 14, 2013): The National Federation of the Blind, the nation’s leading advocate for access to education and information by blind Americans, commented today on the landmark decision issued by The Honorable Judge Denny Chin, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, dismissing a lawsuit brought by the Authors Guild against Google, Inc. The Authors Guild claimed that Google had violated copyright laws by scanning millions of books and storing them as digital files.
Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said: “The announcement of this ruling is a joyful occasion for all blind Americans because it paves the way for full and equal access by the blind and others with print disabilities to the knowledge contained in millions of books.  We are pleased that the court explicitly recognized access to information by people with disabilities as a benefit of the Google Books Project.  This ruling is a significant milestone on the road to full access to the world’s knowledge by the blind, and to all of the opportunities for innovation, education, and enlightenment that come with it.”