Because a group of authors have requested an extension, all who believe Google scanned portions of their work without permission have until September 7, 2009 to take final action regarding opting out or objecting to the terms of the Google Book Search settlement. The deadline, according to the settlement reached between Google and the Author’s Guild and several publishers and authors, originally set the deadline for opting our or objecting to the terms of the settlement for May 5, 2009.

But New York judge Denny Chin has granted the extension. If an author or publisher opts out of the settlement, they are no longer part of the settlement and retain their rights to sue separately. If an author our publisher objects to terms of the settlement, they must remain in the settlement. If authors or publishers do nothing, they will be considered part of the settlement, and Google will be able to use the portions of their work they scanned prior to May 5, 2009. But to receive cash from the settlement, parties must file a claim by January 2010.

If you believe Google was guilty of infringement of your copyright, you should be sure to take action. For more information, you may go towww.googlebooksettlement.com/help/bin/answer.py?answer=134644&hl=enGoing forward, Google will set up a book database from which it will sell subscriptions and snippets of copyrighted material and will share revenues with the copyright holders, according to the terms of the settlement. The extension granted for opting out and objecting has also delayed the date of the final hearing at which the settlement will receive final approval from June 11, 2009 to October 7, 2009. The settlement has been plagued throughout by delays. And the trend apparently continues.