Hathi Trust

Emeritus faculty

Paul N. Courant

Edward M. Gramlich Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Economics and Public Policy

Provost Emeritus Courant has authored half a dozen books and more than six dozen papers covering a broad range of topics in economics and public policy. More recently, his academic work has focused on economic and policy questions relating to universities, libraries and archives, and the effects of new information technologies and other disruptions on scholarship, scholarly publication, and academic libraries.

Paul Courant named Distinguished University Professor, chooses to honor Ned Gramlich

Jul 18, 2019

On Thursday the Regents named Paul Courant, professor of public policy, as a Distinguished University Professor, effective September 1. This distinction is the University’s most prestigious professorship, which recognizes senior faculty who have...

As Billington retires, Paul Courant a contender for Library of Congress chief

Jun 17, 2015

As Library of Congress Chief James H. Billington announces his retirement, New York Times White House correspondent Michael D. Shear notes that “only 10 presidents have had the opportunity to nominate a librarian of Congress to oversee America’s...

The Guardian features Courant study: Top U's pay too much

Jun 17, 2014

"Top universities are paying too much for scores of academic journals provided by major publishing companies," writes Ian Sample, science editor of The Guardian, in the June 16 article, "Universities 'get poor value' from academic journal-publishing...

State & Hill

Paul Courant's powerful public service, the HathiTrust digital library

Dec 16, 2013

Scholarly CVs are long, there's no denying it, so it's not surprising that Paul N. Courant's CV stretches a good twelve feet from end to end. What is surprising is that what is likely to be Courant's single greatest contribution to scholarship isn't...

Paul Courant quoted in several news sources about digitized books lawsuit

Sep 12, 2011

Paul Courant was quoted in several news sources about the opposition to the University of Michigan's and other universities' efforts to digitized their physical library collections, including The Associated Press, Inside Higher Ed, and The Chronicle...

Paul N. Courant speaks to The Economist about possible settlement in Google Books suit

Aug 8, 2011

The Economist interviewed Paul N. Courant in a recent podcast about issues surrounding a proposed settlement in an ongoing lawsuit against Google by the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers.Google's scanning and online publishing...

Regents extend Paul N. Courant's appointment as University Librarian, Dean of Libraries

Apr 29, 2011

During their April meeting, the University of Michigan Regents extended Paul N. Courant's appointment as University Librarian and Dean of Libraries. Courant, originally appointed in 2007, will continue to serve in these two positions until August...

Research by Paul N. Courant cited in Inside Higher Ed about library book sharing

Mar 16, 2011

Research by Paul N. Courant was cited in an Inside Higher Ed article, "Pays to Share," about the rising cost of maintaining libraries and the academic-led book digitization project HathiTrust.HathiTrust is a cooperative, based at the University of...

Paul N. Courant joins Digital Public Library of America steering committee

Dec 15, 2010

Paul N. Courant has joined the steering committee for the proposed Digital Public Library of America. This 12-member committee, composed of library and foundation leaders, will create a blueprint for "an open, distributed network of comprehensive...

Paul Courant quoted in "'Orphan' Tug of War" about recent objections to Google Books settlement

Jan 29, 2010

Paul Courant spoke to Inside Higher Ed about a new objection to the pending settlement over the Google Books project. According to the article, 80 professors from around the country recently filed a letter with U.S. District Court of New York...

Paul Courant pens op-ed calling for better public access to federally-funded research

Jan 22, 2010

In an op-ed published by Science Magazine, Paul Courant argues that "journal articles derived from federal research funding should be made publicly available as quickly as practicable—generally in a year or less after publication—and in ways that...

Paul Courant quoted in AFP article about new U-M library partnership with Hewlett-Packard

Oct 22, 2009

Paul Courant was quoted in an article by the Agence France-Presse called "HP partners with university to print digital books." In the piece, Courant explains that the collaboration between the University of Michigan and Hewlett-Packard (HP) will...

Paul Courant featured in Michigan Daily article, "The evolution of Paul Courant reshapes the concept of a library"

Oct 8, 2009

Paul Courant, Dean of the Libraries and Ford School professor, is profiled in today's Michigan Daily. The story highlights the changes Courant has made in how information is collected and explains how he is 'leading a library revolution' in the...

Paul Courant: Public goods and the public good

Oct 3, 2007 1:14:58

Paul Courant discusses the economics of universities, libraries & archives, and the effects of new technologies on scholarship & libraries in his lecture "Public Goods and the Public Good: Economics, the University, and the Library." Octob