Google has reached a preliminary settlement in a class-action lawsuit they have been defending since 2004. The lawsuit was over the "Google Library Project," which aimed to digitize entire library collections and make the books available for online perusal.
According to the proposed Notice of Settlement (awaiting court approval), the settlement includes:
"63% of the revenues earned from Google's sale of subscriptions to an electronic books database, sale of online access to books, advertising revenues, and other commercial uses." US $34.5 million paid by Google to establish and maintain a Book Rights Registry to collect revenues from Google and distribute those revenues to copyright owners. The right of copyright owners to determine whether and to what extent Google may use their works. US $45 million paid by Google to copyright owners whose works Google has digitized without permission as of May 5, 2009."
Disclaimer: The author's use of the settlement terms constitutes fair use under the Copyright Laws of the United States. Please Google, don't sue me.