3 March 2006

Efforts by the European Commission to bring cultural and literary works to anyone connected to the web are beginning to take shape.

The commission plans to make at least six million books and documents accessible online via the European Digital Library during the next five years.

The results of a consultation period over the new initiative were published yesterday, with the majority of publishers, libraries, archives and museums welcoming the development.

However, there are still some reservations about copyright issues, which the commission now intends to fully address.

The varied feedback has also helped the commission shape how the digital library will be practically set up. It is hoped the library will build upon the current gateway system in operation in a number of national libraries that allows access to catalogue records of collections.

Commenting on the developments, information society and media commissioner, Viviane Reding, said: "Information technologies can enable you to tap into Europe's collective memory with a click of your mouse.

"The European Commission will help to turn this into reality by co-funding centres of competence for digitisation and providing a truly European framework for protecting, accessing and using intellectual property rights in digital libraries," she added.

© Adfero Ltd

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