Achieving Quality and Impact for Europe’s Library Collections Cover Image

Achieving Quality and Impact for Europe’s Library Collections
Achieving Quality and Impact for Europe’s Library Collections

Author(s): Louise Edwards, Ismet Ovčina
Subject(s): Museology & Heritage Studies, Library operations and management, Electronic information storage and retrieval, Transformation Period (1990 - 2010), Present Times (2010 - today)
Published by: Asocijacija informacijskih stručnjaka – bibliotekara, arhivista i muzeologa
Keywords: The European Library; data libraries; library records; digital libraries; linked data; library information networks; library research;

Summary/Abstract: From 2015, The European Library will be an independent, not-for-profit library services organisation, supported by CENL, LIBER and CERL. Our vision is to be the most important hub for libraries’ data in Europe. With a dataset of over 200 million records, we collaborate closely with trusted partners to develop services that maximize the impact of libraries’ data. We operate on the principles of openness and inclusivity. Affordable membership is available to all national and research libraries from the 47 Council of Europe states. The benefits to libraries are to make data work in ways that are cost-effective. We aggregate, enrich and improve data, and distribute it into the workflows of users. We return the enhanced data back to libraries to improve their own systems and processes. We are involved in innovative projects that demonstrate the application of data in new products and services. Examples include cloudbased infrastructures, full text search and browse, collection descriptions to promote the discovery of hidden resources, and linked open data for the semantic web. We are a best practice network for the sharing of knowledge and expertise. The presentation will highlight some of the services offered by The European Library, with a special focus on the libraries and collections of the Balkan region.

  • Issue Year: 2015
  • Issue No: 08
  • Page Range: 41-43
  • Page Count: 3
  • Language: English