Microsoft has added a beta version of Books to its Live Search search engine, says Micrcosoft's Live Search blog. This is, of course, Microsoft's alternative to Google Book Search, with a difference: Microsoft is only scanning books that are out of copyright, or where publishers opt in. Google is scanning libraries including copyright works, and allowing publishers to opt out. This has prompted a number of lawsuits....
One of Microsoft's key partners is The British Library.
The Live Search blog adds:
The team is also taking this opportunity to announce an update to the beta of Live Search Academic (http://academic.live.com). We're adding millions of new articles--primarily bio-medical content. Live Search Academic now indexes thousands of academic journals in the computer science, engineering, physics, and bio-medical fields. We're also now indexing theses, dissertations, and books within these disciplines.
There are stories with more details at BBC News, CNet, IDG News etc.
Comment: One cute feature of Book Search is that it tells you where you are in the results list. For example, if you have three books on screen, it could say "71-73 of 376" or whatever.
