Lawmakers probe Google book search - InternetNews.com

WASHINGTON -- Google's controversial digital book project saw another wave of public scrutiny this morning, this time in the form of a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the competitive implications of its landmark settlement with authors and publishers.

In an effort to blunt the charge that the settlement gives Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) exclusive access to digital works, David Drummond, the search giant's chief legal officer, announced at today's hearing that Google would license out-of-print works to any retailer. That would mean that Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), an opponent of the agreement, and others would be authorized to resell the books scanned by Google and covered under the settlement...