Google's colossal project: World's biggest virtual library

&to=http:// english.pravda.ru/science/19/94/379/12644_Runet.html ' target=_blank>Google's project to archive millions of books from top libraries, experts said, is the first major step toward the company's goal of indexing massive amounts of printed material, music and video.

In announcing yesterday that it would digitally archive old books from libraries at Harvard and Stanford universities, the University of Michigan, the University of Oxford and the New York Public Library, Google aims to make the entire text of the books searchable.

"This is colossal," said Paul LeClerc, president and chief executive of the New York &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/culture/2003/01/14/41989.html ' target=_blank>Public Library, informs Newsday.