Building the World Digital Library: Transforming Cultural Access

1. The World Digital Library Initiative John Van Oudenaren Library of Congress Presentation to the Third SEEDI Conference Cetinje, Montenegro September 13, 2007

2. The World Digital Library Initiative 2 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 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

3. The World Digital Library – Partners 3 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS UNESCO National libraries and other cultural institutions IFLA The technology community

4. The World Digital Library – Dates and Milestones 4 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS June 2005: November 2005: 2006: December 2006: 2007: October 2007: September 2008: 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

5. The World Digital Library – Implementation 5 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS Not just a big website! Three pillars: Content acquisition Construction of a sustainable network for production and distribution of content The web site: www.worlddigitallibrary.org

6. Pillar I: Content Acquisition 6 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 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)

7. Pillar I: Content Acquisition 7 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS • Establish additional scanning operations • Africa • Central America • The Caribbean • Other • 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)

8. Pillar II. Construction of a Sustainable International Network 8 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 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)

9. Pillar II. Construction of a Sustainable International Network 9 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS • 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

10. Pillar III: The Web Site 10 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS 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

11. Pillar III: The Web Site 11 The LIBRARY of CONGRESS • 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

12. 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

13. The World Digital Library InitiativeNext Steps Solicit feedback on the prototype Draft a multilateral charter and establish a WDL organization with a board and members Enlist additional members from all continents, cultures, content Develop the website Develop the network Secure additional funding Governments Foundations Companies