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The fact that Google is already able to scan and make use of any book, and can sell full online access to out-of-print books, automatically incentivizes “un-orphaning” a work. Because Google’s use of the book generates profits, which are held by the BRR if unclaimed, rightsholders are encouraged to step forward and claim compensation, even in cases where there would otherwise be no reason to register with collecting agencies like the Copyright Clearance Centre. Unlike ASCAP or BMI, which artists pay to join, writers are essentially paid for identifying themselves with the Registry.

Although the BRR includes only authors of books and other text works digitized by Google, it is possible to envision similar projects for other classes of work. Even if there is no commercial archival project for smaller works like letters or photographs, libraries that are already working to preserve them could easily collaborate to produce a system where orphan works could be catalogued and identified.

Οne good example of the way this project could take shape is the Library of Congress Flickr pilot project. In hopes of cataloguing information about the photographs in their collection, the Library of Congress has posted two sets of photos on popular image hosting site Flickr, where users can add tags, post comments related to the picture, and submit suggestions or corrections. Although these images “have no known copyright restrictions,” a similar system could be used for orphan photographs, with the explicit intent of finding information about the ownership of a work. In Europe, this is already being done, with systems like the MILE “Orphan Database” or the Accessible Registries of Rights information and Orphan Works towards Europeana (ARROW) project.

ARROW aims in particular to support the EC's i2010 Digital Library Project by finding ways to clarify the rights status of orphan and out-of-print works, so they can be cleared for digitisation and inclusion in the Digital Library. It is a project which sets out to realise and test the solutions developed by the European Commission's High Level Expert Group.

The project also seeks to enhance the interoperability of rights information (i.e. exchange of information) between rightholders, agents, libraries and users. Solutions envisaged by the venture include the establishment of systems for the exchange of rights data, the creation of a registry of orphan works and a network of rights clearance centres. Key to achieving this objective is interoperability, standards deployment and stakeholder involvement.


There are successful movements that provide access to knowledge:

•    Libreka offers quick and easy search in more than 85.000 titles in the German language and
•    Gallica is the digital library based on the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.