To counter Google Print, the search giant's project to digitize and offer free, searchable versions of major university library collections in the United States, a task force of the German book trade association Boersenverein is organizing its own digital indexing project, Volltextsuche Online, reports the International Herald Tribune. However, unlike their colleagues in France, the Germans aren't so much worried about cultural imperialism as they are concerned about copyright issues related to Google's plans to also offer up portions of newly published books, such as the table of contents and excerpts.

Google's undertaking has generated unease in France over English-language hegemony and has also led to a European effort to organize an alternative library scanning initiative. The Association of American University Presses in the U.S. in turn has raised fears that the Google project could lead to large-scale copyright infringement.

Google has sought to allay European concerns. A spokesman for Google Germany said the German initiative and the French effort had turned into something of a political debate and that Google is "trying to be open for discussion with publishers."