ACTIVITIES :: eTen :: Projects :: Projects of the Month :: DoD
October 2007 Project of the Month: Dod
DoD – Digitisation on Demand
Issues being addressed
European libraries are in possession of millions of rare books. However, due to their age and value, access to these “treasures” is quite restricted and often only possible to people actually on site.
With the eBooks on Demand service (EOD) offered through the DoD project these books are now made available to everybody - just a few mouse clicks away. Users can order eBooks via the common online library catalogues; the libraries then digitise the requested item and send it to the customer via the EOD service network. Books digitised in this way will simultaneously be included into the digital libraries of the participating libraries and so be made accessible on the Internet.
Objectives of the project
The main objective of the DoD project is to validate the European market for the eBooks on Demand service and extend this service to a wider range of European libraries. In detail:
- To extend the EOD service to 12 libraries in 8 European countries,
- To set up the infrastructures for a detailed market validation,
- To carry out market validation actions with the envisaged target group of approx. 550.000 library users,
- To carry out interviews with all the end-users of the service during the project time,
- To conduct market validation towards potential adopters (other libraries),
- To systematically collect data about the feasibility of the service and its cost benefit,
- To prepare a deployment plan for the future of the EOD network.
Services
With the eBooks on Demand (EOD) service any rare book of interest can be ordered in electronic form. All books available for digitisation are clearly marked with an EOD sign in the online library catalogues of the participating libraries.
Some features of the service:
- Digitisation on request within a short time span
- Easy ordering and online payment procedures
- High resolution book scans
- Illustration, picture and photo capturing in grey scale or colour
- Automatic text recognition on request
Achievements
So far, all project partners have implemented and adapted the service to their local needs and started offering books for digitisation through their respective online library catalogues. Even now new libraries have shown their interest in participating in the network. So, for example, the Moravian State Library in Brno (CZ), has been offering the eBooks on Demand service for one month!
Expected benefits by the end of the project
A self-sustainable network with at least 15 partners taking part and offering books for digitisation via the EOD service.
Partners
- Bavarian State Library, Germany
- Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany
- National and University Library, Slovenia
- National Library of Estonia
- National Library of Portugal
- National Széchényi Library of Hungary
- The Royal Library, the National Library and Copenhagen University Library, Denmark
- University Library of Bratislava, Slovakia
- University Library of Graz, Austria
- University Library of Greifswald, Germany
- University Library of Regensburg, Germany
- Vienna University Library, Austria
Find detailed information about each of the partners on the project website: http://books2ebooks.eu/partner.php5
Reference data (project website, contract type, start and end date)
- Project website: http://books2ebooks.eu
- Project flyer: http://books2ebooks.eu/media/flyer/eod_flyer_en.pdf
- Flash video: http://books2ebooks.eu/media/flash/
- Contract type: market validation
- Project Duration: October 2006 – June 2008
- Project Co-ordinator: Günter Mühlberger
- Tel.: +43 512 507 8450
- E-mail: guenter.muehlberger@uibk.ac.at