Microsoft, on June 1, added copyrighted books to its online library, saying it has permission to offer the works to searchers on the Internet.
By making deals with authors and publishing houses to include their works in the Live Search Books index Microsoft side-steps a controversy triggered by Google's plan to offer the world's written works online.
Listed among the publishers adding their books to Microsoft's virtual shelves are Cambridge University Press, McGraw-Hill Companies, Rodale and Simon and Schuster. Searchers can read books online or follow links to websites where they can buy them.
Google launched its book project in 2004 aiming to scan all literary works and post them online.