The 4,000 books are among millions of books that Google has digitalised in order to set up an online gigantic library, the Google Books. Since 2004, following its failure to purchase copyrights of these books, Goolge has been facing lawsuits filed by publishers and copyrights organisations worldwide.

To deal with the issue, Google recently asked publishers, writers and copyright centres in various countries to start negotiations on the copyright.

In its 50-page notice to the VLCC and some of Vietnamese writers, Google offered to pay US$60 for each digitalised book and split 63 percent of its future revenue from the book. Google also set Sept. 30 as the deadline for Vietnam’s reply.

VLCC’s director, Doan Thi Lam Luyen, said her centre, the largest copyright protection organisation in Vietnam, has been authorised by some 1,000 local writers, who account for only a small number of the authors of books used by Google.