Nor are the books Google has already chosen to scan necessarily a representative sample of literature across the ages.

ECONOMIST: Science invades the humanities

"Schools are increasingly being used as marketing venues by companies promoting their own brands in return for teaching resources, books, sports equipment or computers, " said a National Union of Teachers representative.

BBC: Google to give schools Raspberry Pi microcomputers

After leaving Poo-Pourri, I continued meandering through aisles filled with stationery, handbags, gift books and Santa Claus dolls until I was accosted by Veronica Spaterna, a representative at the "Nail Candy" booth ("Nail polish in a pen").

WSJ: On the Scent of a Hit

The African Book Collective (ABC) proposes to UNESCO twenty african works from the lists of publishers participating in the ABC programme, as books suitable for translation and potential new titles for inclusion in its Collection of Representative Works.

UNESCO: Languages and Multilingualism