As if cued by my class discussion of copyright and fair use, which included some hypothetical riffs on the Google Print Library Project, the Authors Guild has sued Google. (complaint) Sorry!

The complaint seeks class action status on behalf of "all persons or entities that hold the copyright to a literary work that is contained in the library of the University of Michigan," notwithstanding the great variety of authors and works of authorship in that category.

3. By reproducing for itself a copy of those works that are not in the public domain (the “Works”), Google is engaging in massive copyright infringement. It has infringed, and continues to infringe, the electronic rights of the copyright holders of those works.

6. By this action, plaintiffs, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, seek damages, injunctive and declaratory relief with respect to Google’s present infringement, and declaratory and injunctive relief with respect to Google’s planned unauthorized commercial use of the Works.

Google defends the project on its blog and Jon Band offers a detailed fair use analysis.