chinese medicine and google book search

[Guest guest]

Many books on chinese herbology are now accessible through google

book search. Books that are in print and copyrighted can be searched

and you can read pages found in your search and the next two pages

afterwards. You can't read the whole book this way, but since many

of these books are used primarily for reference purposes, this method

is actually more effective for many users than poring through poorly

indexed books looking for the data you need. For example, I noticed

that you can search Clavey's Fluid Physiology and Yang's Chinese

Herbal Medicine: Comparisons and Characteristics, two books often

lauded on this list (and with good reason). Neither of these books

is required in many, if any, schools, so the search service is really

no different than going to a library to find a quick fact. In

addition, the text CANNOT be cut and pasted.

 

Since nonrequired texts rarely make any money for their authors on

sales, the main benefit is prestige and name recognition and then

possibly lucrative speaking gigs as a result. I also think one is

more likely to make a sale on an obscure text as a result of this

service rather than lose one. But that is an open question. I can

state personally that I own very few books on Chinese medicine that

were not given to me because I could never afford them. One of the

reasons I no longer work in the field is because I have never made

any money in it. In fact, being in the field for 13 years left me

over $250,000 in debt from school loans and failed businesses and

other events. So without continual access to TCM college libraries,

I would have never been able to advance my knowledge in the field at

all. I know my plight is the norm, not the exception, for most who

began their careers in the mid 90's or later (many of you just

haven't reached your breaking point yet). Google book search merely

provides those of you in outlying areas with the access I had along

as a big city college professor.

 

Publishers can ask google to remove their books from the search and

there are lawsuits in process over the service altogether. So if you

have a problem with your book being searched by google, take it up

with your publisher. I understand posting this topic may seem

hypocritical since I ended the discussion on Amazon last week.

However, I did give it some thought. Amazon is clearly not breaking

the law or setting any new legal precedents, thus attacking them for

being a discounter in an attempt to injur their sales and redirect

buyers to other smaller companies very closely fits the definition of

libel and cannot be allowed here. Google Book search is in a grey

area, so I will allow this topic to be addressed here until the

legality is settled. Plus Google is not selling books and they

actually welcome the debate as they expect to win handily in court.

We shall see. But I think folks are just going to need to come to

terms with the fact that we are in a new era with new rules. In the

late 1800's, textile workers tried to block the automation of their

industry. But most of us have long since forgotten about that point

in history if we ever even knew about it.

 

 

 

Chinese Herbs

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

 

$250,000!!!!!.And you say that most graduate from the 90¹s are nor

breaking even? How could this be? Is it possible it was because you are in

an already saturated area? On Philadelphia, our first school just opened up

this past September. The area is hardly saturated and wont be for years.

Are schools focusing on marketability enough? On the business side?

 

We should hold a bake sale for you.

 

Cara

 

 

> Many books on chinese herbology are now accessible through google

> book search. Books that are in print and copyrighted can be searched

> and you can read pages found in your search and the next two pages

> afterwards. You can't read the whole book this way, but since many

> of these books are used primarily for reference purposes, this method

> is actually more effective for many users than poring through poorly

> indexed books looking for the data you need. For example, I noticed

> that you can search Clavey's Fluid Physiology and Yang's Chinese

> Herbal Medicine: Comparisons and Characteristics, two books often

> lauded on this list (and with good reason). Neither of these books

> is required in many, if any, schools, so the search service is really

> no different than going to a library to find a quick fact. In

> addition, the text CANNOT be cut and pasted.

>

> Since nonrequired texts rarely make any money for their authors on

> sales, the main benefit is prestige and name recognition and then

> possibly lucrative speaking gigs as a result. I also think one is

> more likely to make a sale on an obscure text as a result of this

> service rather than lose one. But that is an open question. I can

> state personally that I own very few books on Chinese medicine that

> were not given to me because I could never afford them. One of the

> reasons I no longer work in the field is because I have never made

> any money in it. In fact, being in the field for 13 years left me

> over $250,000 in debt from school loans and failed businesses and

> other events. So without continual access to TCM college libraries,

> I would have never been able to advance my knowledge in the field at

> all. I know my plight is the norm, not the exception, for most who

> began their careers in the mid 90's or later (many of you just

> haven't reached your breaking point yet). Google book search merely

> provides those of you in outlying areas with the access I had along

> as a big city college professor.

>

> Publishers can ask google to remove their books from the search and

> there are lawsuits in process over the service altogether. So if you

> have a problem with your book being searched by google, take it up

> with your publisher. I understand posting this topic may seem

> hypocritical since I ended the discussion on Amazon last week.

> However, I did give it some thought. Amazon is clearly not breaking

> the law or setting any new legal precedents, thus attacking them for

> being a discounter in an attempt to injur their sales and redirect

> buyers to other smaller companies very closely fits the definition of

> libel and cannot be allowed here. Google Book search is in a grey

> area, so I will allow this topic to be addressed here until the

> legality is settled. Plus Google is not selling books and they

> actually welcome the debate as they expect to win handily in court.

> We shall see. But I think folks are just going to need to come to

> terms with the fact that we are in a new era with new rules. In the

> late 1800's, textile workers tried to block the automation of their

> industry. But most of us have long since forgotten about that point

> in history if we ever even knew about it.

>

>

>

> Chinese Herbs

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> Chinese Herbal Medicine offers various professional services, including board

> approved continuing education classes, an annual conference and a free

> discussion forum in Chinese Herbal Medicine.

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