Digital collections in Spain: Current situation and future perspectives

Abstract

Spain´s national agency for library coordination (Dirección General del Libro, Archivos y Bibliotecas, Subdirección General de Coordinación Bibliotecaria) has launched a series of initiatives to disseminate and preserve the national bibliographic heritage. The digitization of collections and their internet distribution (using well-known standards such as DC, OAI-PMH,OAIS, Premis, SRU/SW) is their most recent project. In addition to all the benefits this brings, their efforts to build consensus for the project is especially appreciated. Of particular significance, they have secured the cooperation of Spain´s autonomous communities (i. e., regional governments), all of their initiatives incorporate technology and procedures compliant with the action Digital Libraries of the EU´s VII Framework Programme.