Internet search engine Google is planning to digitally scan books from the Bodleian Library's exclusive collection.

Google is working with librarians at Oxford, Harvard and Michigan universities and New York public library.

The project is part of the Google Print programme which enables web users to instantly search and find matches within a host of books.

It will be possible to search across library collections including out-of-print books and titles previously not available anywhere except on a library shelf.

The Bodleian Library was first opened in 1602 and holds more than eight million books on shelves measuring more than 120 miles long.

As a legal deposit library for almost 400 years, it can claim a copy of every book published in the UK and Ireland.

Its 19th century holdings include works by Charles Darwin, Edgar Allan Poe and Christina Rossetti.

Reg Carr, director of Oxford University Library Services, said: "Making the wealth of knowledge accumulated in the Bodleian Library's historic collections accessible to as many people as possible is at the heart of Oxford University's commitment to lifelong learning.

"The Bodleian's 19th century collections, which include many out-of-print titles which otherwise would be incredibly hard to find, will be scanned."

Google co-founder Larry Page said: "Even before we started Google, we dreamed of making the incredible breadth of information that librarians so lovingly organise searchable online."

"Google's mission is to organise the world's information."