the world digital library initiative john van oudenaren library of congress presentation to the...
TRANSCRIPT
The World Digital Library Initiative
John Van OudenarenLibrary of CongressPresentation to the Third SEEDI ConferenceCetinje, MontenegroSeptember 13, 2007
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 2
The World Digital Library Initiative
Vision: To create a digital library of significant original materials representing all of the major cultures from across the globe and make it accessible to students, educators, and the general public
Objectives:– Promote international and inter-cultural understanding and awareness– Provide a resource for educators that matches the needs of a globalized, wireless world– Display rare and unique content of interest to scholars and the general public
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 3
The World Digital Library – Partners
UNESCONational libraries and other cultural
institutionsIFLAThe technology community
Librarian of Congress proposes World Digital Library to the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO
Google gives Library of Congress $3 million for planning phase of the project
Conclusion of agreements with partner institutions in Brazil, Russia, Egypt
Site mockup and draft proposal presented to UNESCO in Paris; formation of Working Groups
Conclusion of agreements with UNESCO and with additional partner institutions
WDL prototype to be unveiled at UNESCO General Conference, Paris
Completion of WDL plan and full-scale launch of the project
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 4
The World Digital Library – Dates and Milestones
June 2005:
November 2005:
2006:
December 2006:
2007:
October 2007:
September 2008:
Not just a big website!
Three pillars:Content acquisitionConstruction of a sustainable network
for production and distribution of content
The web site: www.worlddigitallibrary.org
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 5
The World Digital Library – Implementation
Key objective: Work with partners to digitize content in places where little or no scanning is being done
– bring to light “hidden treasures”
Selection Working Group to establish criteria
Maintain and build upon existing scanning operations:– Cairo– Rio de Janeiro– Moscow– St. Petersburg– Novosibirsk (mobile scanning team for Siberia)
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 6
Pillar I: Content Acquisition
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 7
Pillar I: Content Acquisition
Establish additional scanning operations AfricaCentral AmericaThe CaribbeanOther
Pursue other methods of content acquisition - Re-purposing of already-digitized material
All arrangements are non-exclusive(content can be on WDL, national, regional, other
projects)
WDL-IFLA Best Practices Working Group established to set guidelines for new digitization efforts
(Meetings: Washington, May 2007; Durban, August 2007)
Key objective: Create and distribute content in a way that makes the most sense in terms of cost and technical factors and in ways that build capacity in the developing world
Network is both a technical infrastructure and a community of institutions, scholars, curators, linguists, technologists
Technical Working Group to establish standards, architecture (first meeting: Stanford University, April 2007)
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 8
Pillar II. Construction of a Sustainable International Network
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 9
Pillar II. Construction of a Sustainable International Network
Network nodes for creation of the World Digital Library: digitization of content cataloging translation development of editorial and
educational content
Network nodes for distribution: central site mirrored sites
First mirrored sites: Washington, DC and Alexandria, Egypt
Key objective: Present cultural content in a way that appeals to (and thus will be used by) the new generation of Internet users, both in the United States and internationally
Prototype under development
Multilingual: English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese
High quality user experience Fast, seamless
Ability to search and browse a large volume of content
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 10
Pillar III: The Web Site
The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 11
Pillar III: The Web Site
Multi-format: manuscripts maps photographs, prints, postcards rare books sound and video clips 3-D presentations of architectural monuments
Special features with experts, scholars, curators
Educational content for teachers and students
Social networking features
Adjustments to developing-country conditions; low bandwidth and mobile device solutions
Pillar III: The Website
• Partners in developing the prototype– Russian State Library– National Library of Egypt– National Library of Brazil– National Library of Russia– Bibliotheca Alexandrina
• Other contributors- Google, Apple, Intel- OCLC- Stanford, University of Maryland
The World Digital Library Initiative
Next Steps
Solicit feedback on the prototypeDraft a multilateral charter and establish a WDL
organization with a board and membersEnlist additional members from all continents, cultures,
contentDevelop the websiteDevelop the networkSecure additional funding
GovernmentsFoundationsCompanies