Cornell University has announced joint initiatives with Microsoft and Kirtas Technologies aimed at digitizing a majority of the school’s library content. The volumes will be made available online via Microsoft’s Live Book Search.

Cornell University has joined signed on to be a part of Microsoft’s Live Book Search project, according to a blog entry posted by the team at Live Search and a press release issued by the school on Monday.

Danielle Tiedt, general manager of the Live Search Selection Team at Microsoft Corp. comments on the announcement in the press release, “Our alliance with Cornell University underscores the importance and value of Live Book Search to provide free access to out-of-copyright content to everyone with access to the Internet.”

“Participation by Cornell University in Live Book Search will help us to achieve our goal of transforming Web search into information search through the creation of the world’s most trusted index of authoritative content. This will enable customers to have the best possible experience finding answers to their questions, accomplishing their tasks, and discovering new information.”

CEO and founder of Kirtas, Lotfi Belkhir adds in the media statement, “This is a best-of-breed partnership. We’re very proud to contribute our technology and know-how in digitization to this unique and world-changing initiative.”

With the launch Windows Vista looming on the horizon, Microsoft appears to be working overtime to hype Live Search in the company’s ongoing effort to challenge Google for search supremacy.

It remains to be seen how many other academic institutions will join up with the Live Book Search initative.