From Independent.ie:

Plans by Google in the US to scan millions of books into a giant digital archive have prompted fresh opposition from authors and publishers ahead of a court battle.

Opponents and supporters of the internet giant’s scheme are lining up for a legal fight over a complex deal agreed last year to fix royalty payments to authors.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York will decide in October whether the payment offer made by Google is fair.

The article goes on to note that Google has already scanned seven million out-of-print books. Full story here.

The 2009 Hugo Award winners were just announced:

• Best Novel - The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins; Bloomsbury UK)
• Best Novella - “The Erdmann Nexus”, Nancy Kress (Asimov’s Oct/Nov 2008)
• Best Novelette - “Shoggoths in Bloom”, Elizabeth Bear (Asimov’s Mar 2008)
• Best Short Story - “Exhalation”, Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two)
• Best Related Book - Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded: A Decade of Whatever, 1998-2008, John Scalzi (Subterranean Press)
• Best Graphic Story - Girl Genius, Volume 8: Agatha Heterodyne and the Chapel of Bones, Written by Kaja & Phil Foglio, art by Phil Foglio, colors by Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)
• Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form - WALL-E Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter, story; Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, screenplay; Andrew Stanton, director (Pixar/Walt Disney)
• Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form - Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Joss Whedon, & Zack Whedon, & Jed Whedon, & Maurissa Tancharoen, writers; Joss Whedon, director (Mutant Enemy)
• Best Editor Short Form - Ellen Datlow
• Best Editor Long Form - David G. Hartwell
• Best Professional Artist - Donato Giancola
• Best Semiprozine - Weird Tales, edited by Ann VanderMeer & Stephen H. Segal
• Best Fan Writer - Cheryl Morgan
• Best Fanzine - Electric Velocipede edited by John Klima
• Best Fan Artist - Frank Wu