The Bookseller.com

4th July 2009

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EU looks to create digital library

10.12.07 Keith Nuthall

An expert group working with the EU is pressing towards the launch next November of a prototype European digital library, and plans to revise the copyright model for the digitisation of out-of-print works and orphan works. The aim of the group, which includes the Federation of European Publishers, is to have digitised versions of at least 2 million books, photographs, maps, archival records, and film material from Europe's libraries, archives and museums.

By 2010, the plan is to have expanded this collection to include more than 6 million items, which users can find using a simple search mechanism. Current tasks identified by the latest meeting of the 'high level expert group on digital libraries', which took place at the end of November, include drafting a copyright model for the digitisation of out-of-print works and orphan works , where it can often be very difficult to locate the rightholders.

The group is also looking for new ways of funding digitisation through public private partnerships and also on drafting rules regarding access to and preserving scientific information.

High level group members include Stella Dutton, CEO of the British Medical Journal Publishing Group; Dr Elisabeth Niggemann, chair of the Conference of European National Librarians; Arnaud Nourry, CEO of Hachette Livre; British Library director Lynne Brindley; Google UK vice-president of European operations Nikesh Arora; as well as the Federation of European Publishers' Dr Arne Jürgen Bach, acting co-partner of German publishing house Seemann Henschel.

The meeting of these key players follows the establishment in November of a European Digital Library Foundation, charged with launching the library. A European Commission note said it "formalises the collaboration between libraries, archives, museums and audiovisual archives in the delivery and sustainability of the European Digital Library", creating a legal body that can hire staff and seek sponsorship.

Keith Nuthall EU digital library