Open Access News

News from the open access movement


Saturday, June 07, 2008

Library digitization project in New South Wales

David King, Library to go digital with $10m handout, The Australian, June 4, 2008. (Thanks to ResourceShelf.)
The State Library of [New South Wales] has received $10 million to digitise its catalogue of some of its oldest and most valuable works.

The budget funding, allocated over the next three years, would give libraries across the state online access to digital versions of some 18th century manuscripts.

Arts Minister Frank Sartor said: "It is a massive undertaking that will ultimately allow internet users access to the catalogue of original works such as the journals of Sir Joseph Banks, James Cook, Matthew Flinders and William Bligh.

"Many of the more than one million cards in the catalogues are handwritten; others are in faded typescript."

There are five million items in the library that could be digitally catalogued. ...
Comment. It's not clear to me exactly what is being digitized (manuscripts or catalog cards?), and whether the materials will be OA or only available to New South Wales libraries ("... would give libraries across the state online access to [the material]"). Can any readers point me to an answer? Update. This press release from NSW's Arts Minister makes clear that the funding is to build a digital catalog, not to digitize manuscripts. (Thanks to Maryanne Kennan.) For information on the State Library of New South Wales's (separate) collection digitization projects, see this page.