Elsevier, the world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, announced today that it is participating in the recently launched Google eBooks store by including a large selection of Elsevier's eBook titles. Elsevier regards Google eBooks as a valuable new distribution channel to increase reach and accessibility of its scientific and professional ebook content in the United States.
Google eBooks covers more than three million ebook titles, and was officially launched on 7 December. Google eBooks users can access and read purchased book content via a web browser on their computer or mobile device as well as through native apps for devices such as the iPad. Individual publishers can decide which titles in their ebooks portfolios they choose to sell full access to through Google eBooks.
"Selling a substantial part of our Science & Technology ebooks through Google eBooks will significantly add to the reach and accessibility of our content," said Suzanne BeDell, Managing Director of Science & Technology Books at Elsevier. "The platform contains one of the largest ebook collections in the world and is compatible with a wide range of devices such as laptops, smartphones, e-readers and tablets. We are therefore confident that our partnership with Google will prove an important step in reaching our objective to provide universal access to scientific content."
"Elsevier was an early participant in Google Book Search a program providing access to a small part of the ebook's content for browsing purposes only," added Ammy Vogtlander, Vice President of Web Strategy and Business Development at Elsevier. "We are pleased that Google has now made the strategic move to partner with the publishers to offer customers the option to purchase full access to the content which they have discovered through Google's search services."
In first instance, not all Elsevier eBooks will be included. Elsevier determines on a title-by-title basis which books it sells through Google eBooks. Elsevier expects Google eBooks to have a positive effect on the distribution of its ebooks and is planning to include more titles over time.