Google is preparing to announce its Beta version of Google Print on Thursday. Google Print links are displayed on normal Google searches whenever a book contains content that matches the search terms.

When searchers click on the book title of a Google Print result, they will be taken to a page with information about the book and a "Buy this Book" link, which takes them to a bookstore selling the book online.

Google spokesperson Nathan Tyler said Google Print "Buy this Book" links currently take searches to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Booksense and Froogle. He said, "We have provided these links because they are useful to our users, they may change from time-to-time and no there is no formal agreement for the placement of these links."

Tyler suggested other online booksellers use Froogle. "We feature a Froogle link on all Google Print pages," Tyler said. "One simple way online book vendors can participate in Google Print is to sign up and list their books in the Froogle search service."

Danny Sullivan, Editor of Search Engine Watch, gives additional background on Google Print: http://searchenginewatch.com/searchday/article.php/3417941. And The Guardian has a late-breaking update: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1321391,00.html

http://print.google.com