Google Book Search Settlement

I’ve just received email about the “google book settlement”, and I honestly can’t tell whether it’s somewhat-genuine or a scam.

On the plus side, it’s addressed to me, and is from someone at a reputable agency with whom I have communicated (about 3 years ago), studiob.  That is, if it’s not merely forged as being from there.  On the suspect side is a “please read” pretend-attachment which is in fact a link to a site I’ve never heard of, and an honest link to http://www.googlebooksettlement.com (whozat?).  Furthermore the “attachment” is a complex .cfm URL containing what might be individualised tracking information.

Googling the subject, I find reference to the settlement, and it talks of “orphaned” books.  Meaning books whose authors/copyright holders can’t be contacted.  Well, that doesn’t apply to me: my publisher and I are both alive and well, and neither of us is hiding!  Other references just talk of a one-off payment to groups purporting to speak for copyright holders, which presumably does include me and/or my publisher.

Well, if Google is going to pay good money for the privilege of making my work available, that’s fine by me.  Not that I’m going to lose too much sleep about the risk of missing out on it.  But shouldn’t I expect to hear from them or (more likely) from my publisher rather than some third-party with only the most tenuous connection?

Dear lazyweb, is this something I should take the trouble to find out about?