Wroclaw's books in the net

Tomasz Wysocki: Wrocławskie książki w sieci (Wroclaw's books in the net). Gazeta Wyborcza Wrocław z dn. 20.12.2006

Wrocławskie książki w sieci / Tomasz Wysocki // Gaz. Wybor. – 2006 nr 296 wyd. Wrw s. 3

Ten institutions of higher education from Wroclaw plan to create Lower Silesian Digital Library. Today they will sign agreement regarding creation of committee, that will acquire founds for this purpose.

Almost all of the institutions of higher education want to create LSDL, but University of Wrocław, that already has its own electronic library, is not willing to join this project.

Four and a half years ago prof. Tadeusz Luty, rector of Wrocław University of Technology and Adolf Juzwenko, director of The Ossolinski National Institute came with idea of making available libraries' collections in internet. To the created by them Lower Silesian Digital Library joined with time University School of Physical Education in Wrocław, Wroclaw University of Economics and Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. Today within electronic library are held digital copies of 350 old prints, manuscripts and books.

A little time later, University of Wrocław started creating its own Digital Library. Currently, within it are available 6.5 thousand items from Wroclaw University Library’s collections that were viewed by 850 thousands persons during the annual testing period.

Today is planned signing cooperation agreement by all public institutions of higher education from Wroclaw regarding enlargement of LSDL. Joining of consortium confirmed: Papal Faculty of Theology and Metropolitan High Seminary in Wroclaw, art schools, Medical University of Wroclaw and Land Forces Military Academy. Only University of Wrocław was missing.

Małgorzata Porada-Labuda, spokeswomen of UoW: University of Wrocław supports the idea of wide cooperation on behalf of creating regional digital library, but we are not yet ready for signing the agreement. This idea was not forego by discussion in society. Document proposed to us by Wrocław University of Technology is unclear. And, above all others, decision about joining of our University to any consortium must be first approved by Senate.

Yesterday Dobrosława Platt, deputy director of The Ossolinski National Institute, haven’t verified final decision of joining of LSDL: We have to discuss rules of functioning. There is no rivalry, in any way, between Wroclaw University Library and LSDL. It is all about creating one, strong, regional digital library.

- Lower Silesian Digital Library will not be exclusive to any institutions of higher education – stress Henryk Szarski, director of Wrocław University of Technology Library. And adds: - I am assured, that sooner or later, we will join our forces.

Tomasz Wysocki