According to a Wednesday report from Bloomberg, Google is endeavoring to assuage the US Department of Justice's (DoJ) concerns about its contentious $125-million Book Search settlement, which the critics allege would impede competition in the emerging ebook market.

With a fairness hearing on the digitized books' deal scheduled for October 7 in Manhattan federal court, the Internet search giant, along with a group of authors and publishers, has initiated talks with the DoJ to work out the possibility of modifying the agreement.

The settlement, pertaining to Google's digitization of works from leading research libraries worldwide, aims at creating a 'Book Rights Registry,' whereby authors and publishers can resolve copyright claims in lieu of a pre-determined share of Google's revenues. The deal also gives Google the sole license to digitize, sell, and post ads against the out-of-print titles.

The DoJ's concerns about the settlement have been heightened by the widespread criticism that it would give Google an unfair leading edge in the digital book market. As many as 400 objections and briefs opposing the settlement have been filed in a New York District court!

However, refraining to comment on Google's reported talks with the DoJ, the company spokesman Gabriel Stricker said: "If approved by the court, this settlement stands to unlock access to millions of books in the U. S. while giving authors and publishers new ways to distribute their work."