What is The European Library?
The European Library is a free service that offers access to the resources of the 48 national libraries of Europe in 35 languages. Resources can be both digital (books, posters, maps, sound recordings, videos, etc.) and bibliographical . Quality and reliability are guaranteed by the 48 collaborating national libraries of Europe.
What is a national library?
A national library is the library specifically established by a country to store its information database. National libraries usually host the legal deposit and the bibliographic control centre of a nation.
Who is The European Library for?
The European Library service is for anyone world-wide seeking for library material; books of course but also book references, maps, photographs, music, videos, etc.
The European Library provides a vast virtual collection of material from all disciplines and offers visitors with interest a simple access to European cultural resources.
The European Library Vision & Mission
Vision of The European Library:
Provision of equal access to promote world-wide understanding of the richness and diversity of European learning and culture.
Mission of The European Library:
The European Library exists to open up the universe of knowledge, information and cultures of all Europe's national libraries.
Who is involved in The European Library?
The 48 European national libraries participating in The European Library are all members of the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL), a foundation aiming at increasing and reinforcing the role of national libraries in Europe. Members of CENL are the national librarians of the Council of Europe Member States:
Albania,
Armenia,
Austria,
Azerbaijan,
Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Bulgaria,
Croatia,
Cyprus,
Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia,
Finland,
France,
Georgia,
Germany,
Greece,
Hungary,
Iceland,
Ireland,
Italy - Florence,
Italie - Rome,
Latvia,
Liechtenstein,
Lithuania ,
Luxembourg,
"The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Malta,
Moldova,
Montenegro,
the Netherlands,
Norway,
Poland,
Portugal,
Romania,
Russia - Moscow,
Russia - St. Petersbourg, San Marino,
Serbia,
Slovakia,
Slovenia,
Spain,
Sweden,
Switzerland,
Turkey,
Ukraine,
United Kingdom and the Vatican City.
The European Library background & future
The European Library was initiated with European funding and went live as an online service in March 2005. Since then, new projects (TEL-ME-MOR project - 2005-2007 , EDLproject - 2006-2008, TELplus project - 2007-2009 and FUMAGABA project - 2008-2009) have been supported with European co-funding and continue to build upon The European Library service.
The European Library is the organisational ground for the "European digital library: Europeana". This European Commission initiative encompasses not only libraries but also museums, archives and other holders of cultural heritage material. Find out more on Europeana webiste.
The European Library Office
The day-to-day work (management, marketing, implementation, maintenance, design, editorial work, development, technical helpdesk etc.) is done by :
The European Library Office
c/o the Koninklijke Bibliotheek
National Library of the Netherlands
PO Box 90407
2509 LK The Hague
The Netherlands
The European Library is hosted by the Koninklijke Bibliotheek - National Library of The Netherlands.
