Federation of European PublishersFrankfurt Book Fair,

20 October 2005

J. Hernandez-Ros, European Commission

i2010: digital libraries

The contextThe context• i2010: Commission strategy for the Information society

– Technological change

– Flagship initiative on digital libraries

• Letter of 6 Heads of State and Government of 28 April 2005– Commitment of 19 European libraries– Major digitisation initiatives in the US

Communication ‘i2010: digital libraries’Communication ‘i2010: digital libraries’

• Describes the vision of the initiative• Describes main building blocks

– Online consultation (2005)– Proposal for a recommendation (2006)– Digital libraries based on scientific information (2006)– Input to relevant initiatives (2006-2007)

• Deals with cultural heritage as a first building block

Digital libraries, cultural heritageDigital libraries, cultural heritage

• Different types of material and organisations• Not one single database: what matters is integrated access and search• Three main strands

– Digitisation – Online accessibility– Digital preservation

DigitisationDigitisation

• Why digitise?– Wider access and use – Preservation

• Cultural and economic aspects

• Fragmented efforts throughout Europe

• Challenges– Economic, organisational, technical, legal

• Intellectual property rights– Public domain material

• Towards a 20th century black hole?• Publishers’ digital libraries• Different categories of “access”• Structured and quality description of the

content• Integrated access

Online accessibilityOnline accessibility

Digital preservationDigital preservation• Different reasons for loss of digital content

• Digitisation without digital preservation may become a wasted investment

• Relevance beyond digital libraries

• No policies in place

• Challenges – Economic, organisational, technical, legal

Initiatives under wayInitiatives under way• Co-ordination at European level

– Lund-principles and action-plan, NRG

– Parliament and Council recommendation on cinematographic heritage

• Co-funded projects– TEL– PRESTOSPACE– Few projects on digital preservation

Funding digitisation primarily responsibility of the MS

New or reinforced initiatives:New or reinforced initiatives:Co-ordination and dialogueCo-ordination and dialogue

• Strategic discussion with stakeholders– Online consultation (deadline 20 Jan. 2006)

– High level group on digital libraries

• Update Lund action plan

• Stimulate and catalyse co-operation between stakeholders

• Proposal for a recommendation (2006)

New or reinforced initiatives:New or reinforced initiatives:Co-fundingCo-funding

• 36 MEUR in call 5 FP6 – closed Sept. ’05

• 60 MEUR in eContentplus (2005-2008)– First call closes 24 Nov. 2005

• Increased research efforts on digitisation, digital preservation and access to cultural content in FP7

• Centres of competence on digitisation and preservation in FP7

ConclusionConclusion

• Potential of information technologies to increase access to cultural heritage

• Common effort is necessary + common reply to the challenges

• Publishers’ contribution

• Turn the vision of European digital libraries into reality