"ARL" is the bimonthly report on research library issues and actions from ARL (Association of Research Libraries), CNI (Coalition of Networked Information), and SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). "ARL" reports on current issues of interest to academic and research library administrators, staff and users; higher education administrators and faculty; information technologists and those who depend on networked information; as well as anyone concerned with the future of scholarly communication or information policy developments. Each issue explores a broad range of education topics of particular importance to research institutions and academic librarians. In this special issue of "ARL: A Bimonthly Report" the author examines how the Google Library Project has brought digital libraries into the spotlight, including a new focus on negotiations concerning digital library resources. This article brings together a number of articulations of core library interests in digitization partnerships, identifies seven key interests against which potential agreements should be evaluated, and urges libraries and their institutions to make full use of their leverage to ensure the global digital library is open and dynamic. A negotiation checklist accompanying the article suggests some of the questions negotiators might ask themselves as they consider their objectives in entering an agreement. The author maintains that, while Google's aim is not at odds with the needs or goals of the academy--indeed it promises to advance information sharing dramatically--Google Book Search is not a perfect substitute for library digitization. (Contains 31 footnotes.) [For "ARL" Number 249, see ED495018.]