by Maureen Clements

Yesterday, I came upon this interesting article in the New York Times about the launch of a new digital library called Europeana. According the website's tagline, Europeana is "bringing you digitised books, films, paintings, newspapers, sounds and archives from Europe's greatest collections." WHAT?!? News like this is a dream come true for librarian geeks like me....must investigate now.

 

After a brief perusal of the site I shall now offer my observations:

* This is the coolest idea I've heard in a long time. What rock have I been living under?

* Metadata requirements right on the front page. I think I'm in love.....

* Two million objects mean hours of browsing fun with audio too! I hope I don't lose my job.

* Europeans spell digitize differently than Americans do. They use an S. We use a Z.

* The logo's just plain weird. The website claims it's a thought bubble but it looks more like cross between a hovering Pacman and a Muppet.

* The subject categories have a lot of flair. Below are some of my favorite Europeana content themes:

design, shopping and urban cool

murder most foul! crime and the popular imagination

pox, cholera and the plague: the route to urban health

life inside: dungeons, gaols and open prisons