techdirt has an interesting blog entry up:
>   http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100922/03303211105/google-asking-for-help-in-making-sure-public-domain-books-are-recognized-as-public-domain.shtml

they point to a google forum where a google employee (sofiaf) has
asked for instances where public-domain books are not in full-view,
because some entity has claimed some kind of "copyright" on them...

the google thread is here:
>   http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/books/thread?tid=7e2cfafbad4c9065

in both places, i posted this comment:

>   sofia-
>
>   i'm so glad google is finally addressing this issue!  thank you!
>  
>   but let us not be disingenuous, ok?  the vast majority of books
>   that are being hijacked from the public-domain are being lifted
>   by a small number of companies.  google knows who they are.
>   you don't need us to identify the books one by one, individually.
>  
>   -bowerbird

another commenter there -- michael ward -- asked for actual examples,
and i told him that i would come here and get some specifics from y'all...

let's give google lots of good reasons to take out these scumbags, ok?

i mean, providing a service by offering hard-copy of public-domain books
is _one_ thing, but locking out full-view of those same books is _wrong_...

techdirt has enough clout to prod action, and they will be tenacious too,
so let's take advantage of this opportunity and strike while the iron is hot...

-bowerbird