Google Book Search and WorldCat agreement [OCLC]

Google Book Search and WorldCat agreement [OCLC]
Hat tip: Daniel Roland on SlimCafe and ResourceShelf

Google, of course, is ravenous for information. WorldCat has long been a treasure mine of information and which libraries have what books. Until around 2001, libraries had to paid to access the information in WorldCat and allow their patrons to access the information. Around 2001, WorldCat piloted a free version of their paid database with only a limited number of libraries and books. Today, WorldCat.org provides access to the holdings of 10,000+ libraries with a total of 1.2 billion items.

This recent agreement will allow Google access to the data in WorldCat.org so that in the results of the Google Book Search, users can be directed to the matching record in WorldCat.org where they can find a library where they can borrow the item. I've been expecting this since the pilot program in 2001.