Open Access News

News from the open access movement


Friday, May 30, 2008

Microsoft will complete its book-scanning project with the British Library

Microsoft and the British Library have been collaborating for almost a year on a project to digitize 19th century books from the BL collection (see my past posts on this project, 1 and 2).  What will happen now that Microsoft is pulling the plug on its book-scanning operations?  The BL explains in a May 28 press release that Microsoft will carry out its contract.  Excerpt:

...The mass digitisation of 19th century literature in partnership with Microsoft is one of fifteen British Library-led digitisation initiatives, currently taking place.

As part of the 19th century book project, the British Library has now successfully digitised 40,000 out-of-copyright items from its collections....

It is our intention that the material will be made available on the Library’s catalogue after the completion of a pilot....

Approximately 75,000 pages are being scanned daily by the digitisation studios at the British Library. A further 40,000 out-of-copyright books will be scanned as agreed in the Library’s contract with Microsoft....