Saturday, May 04, 2013

Digital Public Library of America

Once exams are over--or as a study break--take a look at the debut of a landmark online project: The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).  Launched April 18, the DPLA ultimately aims to make the holding of American research libraries, archives, and museums available free to everyone in the world on the internet.  Right now, the DPLA has taken the first step by offering a wide array of over 2 million books, documents, photos, media, and works of art that have already been digitilized by the libraries and cultural institutions that own them.

Everything in the Digital Library of America is searchable by keyword, time period, geographic location map, and subject.  The site also includes special exhibitions. With a view to a future "world library" for all, the DPLA is designed to be interoperable with Europeana, Europe's digital culture portal.  A current exhibition of photos and artifacts, "Leaving Europe: A New Life in America," was jointly produced by Europeana and the DPLA.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

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