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European Library
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<h2 id="history-and-concept">History and concept</h2> <p>The European Library of today has evolved from a number of earlier projects. </p><p>Its starting point was in 1997 when the GABRIEL (Gateway and Bridge to Europe's National Libraries) project set out to establish a joint web portal of European national libraries. At a basic level, the portal provided information about each library's collections and access to their online public access catalogues (OPACs). </p> <p>The European Library exists to open up the universe of knowledge, information and cultures of all Europe's national libraries.</p>— European Library Mission<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> <p>GABRIEL was followed by the TEL (The European Library) project, which ran from 2001 to 2004 and created a framework for access to key national and deposit collections within Europe. The project was part-funded under the <a href="/facts/Fifth_Framework_Programme/Udy5lUQ7">Fifth Framework Programme</a> of the <a href="/facts/European_Commission/Cc5JgbEI">European Commission</a>. The national libraries involved in the TEL project were those of Finland, Germany, Italy (Florence), Italy (Rome), Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland and United Kingdom.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>This led to the launch of TheEuropeanLibrary.org portal on 17 March 2005. </p><p>Between 2005 and 2007, the TEL-ME-MOR project helped to incorporate 10 more national libraries from new European Union member states as full partners of The European Library. By the beginning of 2008, a further nine national libraries within the European Union and the European Free Trade Association had joined the service. </p><p>The European Library took a further step towards its enlargement with the EDLproject, during which national libraries continued to join The European Library. The project also focused on multilingualism, undertook the first steps towards a European Metadata Registry and created a roadmap for potential digitization efforts in the national libraries. </p> <table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Year of Joining</th><th scope="col">National Libraries</th></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, Finland, France, Germany, Portugal, Italy-Florence, Italy-Rome</td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>Malta, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Estonia, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Denmark</td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>Belgium, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Russia-Moscow</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Albania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Turkey, Russia Saint Petersburg, Ukraine</td></tr><tr><td>*</td><td>San Marino, Vatican City (collections not searchable)</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Wales</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="the-european-library-and-europeana">The European Library and Europeana</h2> <p>The European Library (TEL) provided much of the organization and support required to launch <a href="/facts/Europeana/kPb8dU5M">Europeana</a> – a European Commission initiative that makes millions of digital objects from libraries, museums and archives accessible to the public via the Europeana website. </p><p>When the <a href="/facts/European_Parliament/H9WLUd1r">European Parliament</a> called for Europeana to be established, the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL), under the auspices of the <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_the_Netherlands/bT5cJn2M">National Library of the Netherlands</a> and CENL's service The European Library, were asked to submit for a project under the eContentplus programme. </p> <h2 id="virtual-exhibitions">Virtual exhibitions</h2> <p>In addition to its search engine, The European Library pulls together themes from the collections of Europe's national libraries<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> and displays them in virtual exhibitions. These exhibitions unite geographically disparate objects in a single online space, offering Pan-European sources on the topic. </p> <ul><li>Manuscripts and Princes in Medieval and Renaissance Europe:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> 34 manuscripts from the royal collections of the Carolingian Emperors, French King Charles V and his family, and the Aragonese kings of Naples.</li> <li>Travelling Through History:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> Centuries worth of travel memorabilia from 13 European libraries, including photographs, sounds, maps and books.</li> <li>Reading Europe:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> Almost 1,000 books selected by <a href="/facts/National_libraries/6rlUEkGs">national libraries</a>, with curatorial information and full-text versions in most cases.</li> <li>A Roma Journey:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> Texts, photographs, paintings and recordings of traditional songs showing the heritage of the <a href="/facts/Romani_people/HAj6w0kU">Romani people</a> in Europe.</li> <li>Napoleonic Wars:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> A selection of portraits, military maps, city plans, letters, books and other material from the <a href="/facts/Napoleonic_Wars/jo0MdaTD">Napoleonic Wars</a>.</li> <li>Treasures of Europe's National Libraries:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> A collection of objects selected by Europe's national libraries as some of the most outstanding items in their collections.</li> <li>National Library Buildings:<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> Images of the National Libraries that are partners of The European Library.</li></ul> <h2 id="financing-and-ownership">Financing and ownership</h2> <p>The European Library is financed by its owners, the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL). The portal is maintained by The European Library Office located in the premises of the <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_the_Netherlands/bT5cJn2M">Dutch Royal Library</a> in <a href="/facts/The_Hague/NRtu1Qqk">The Hague</a>. Its programme director is Jill Cousins.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="partner-libraries">Partner libraries</h2> <p>The 49 National Libraries who participate in The European Library project are: </p> <table><tbody><tr><td><ul><li>Albania: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Albania/yELrBSbp">Biblioteka Kombëtare e Shqipërisë</a></li><li>Armenia: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Armenia/6KHf8nBq">Հայաստանի Ազգային գրադարան</a></li><li>Austria: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Austria/T92WRfPj">Österreichische Nationalbibliothek</a></li><li>Azerbaijan: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Azerbaijan/jTnPSYca">Mirzə Fətəli Axundov adına Azərbaycan Milli Kitabxanası</a></li><li>Belgium: <a href="/facts/Royal_Library_of_Belgium/YrYo2ffu">Koninklijke Bibliotheek België</a></li><li>Bosnia and Herzegovina: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina/WHrWbvNC">Nacionalna i univerzitetska biblioteka Bosne i Hercegovine</a></li><li>Bulgaria: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Bulgaria/76UFdm4q">Национална библиотека „Свети Свети Кирил и Методий</a></li><li>Croatia: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Croatia/UkbxGY9T">Nacionalna i sveučilišna knjižnica u Zagrebu</a></li><li>Cyprus: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Cyprus/8UkNVVAC">Κυπριακή Βιβλιοθήκη</a></li><li>Czech Republic: <a href="/facts/National_Library_(Czech_Republic)/UyNwlJUq">Národní knihovna České republiky</a></li><li>Denmark: <a href="/facts/Royal_Danish_Library/lloHAuqb">Det Kongelige Bibliotek</a></li><li>Estonia: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Estonia/s4U2yggJ">Eesti Rahvusraamatukogu</a></li><li>Finland: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Finland/Y8Q6GgJ1">Kansalliskirjasto</a></li><li>France: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_France/4TNyWsxG">Bibliothèque nationale de France</a></li><li>Georgia: <a href="/facts/National_Parliamentary_Library_of_Georgia/EQTb43Q0">საქართველოს პარლამენტის ეროვნული ბიბლიოთეკა</a></li><li>Germany: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Germany/bj4WE8MM">German National Library</a></li><li>Greece: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Greece/m49tw9l4">Εθνική Βιβλιοθήκη</a></li><li>Hungary: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Hungary/I7K2eeLs">Országos Széchényi Könyvtár</a></li><li>Iceland: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Iceland/dXdVvfza">Landsbókasafn Íslands – Háskólabókasafn</a></li><li>Ireland: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Ireland/zG63ufsB">Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann</a></li><li>Italy-Florence: <a href="/facts/National_Central_Library_(Florence)/K7ov3BUF">Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze</a></li><li>Italy-Rome: <a href="/facts/Biblioteca_Nazionale_Centrale_Roma/kQxX1V3J">Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale</a></li><li>Latvia: <a href="/facts/Latvian_National_Library/TCAyHpCx">Latvijas Nacionālā bibliotēka</a></li><li>Liechtenstein: <a href="/facts/Liechtensteinische_Landesbibliothek/nSQ7BkH9">Liechtensteinische Landesbibliothek</a></li></ul></td><td><ul><li>Lithuania: <a href="/facts/Martynas_Ma%C5%BEvydas_National_Library_of_Lithuania/xlpmIPtp">Lietuvos nacionalinė Martyno Mažvydo biblioteka</a></li><li>Luxembourg: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Luxembourg/oj4sx20q">Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg</a></li><li>Malta: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Malta/PN4nEy7P">Bibljoteka Nazzjonali ta' Malta</a></li><li>Moldova: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Moldova/8Y7Uep3W">Biblioteca Naţională a Republicii Moldova</a></li><li>Montenegro: <a href="/facts/Central_National_Library_of_Montenegro/MDBCTLwY">Centralna narodna biblioteka Crne Gore</a></li><li>Netherlands: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_the_Netherlands/bT5cJn2M">Koninklijke Bibliotheek</a></li><li>North Macedonia: <a href="/facts/National_and_University_Library_St._Kliment_Ohridski/SwLSU9Jv">Национална и универзитетска библиотека „Св. Климент Охридски"</a></li><li>Norway: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Norway/C6ow0GUS">Nasjonalbiblioteket</a></li><li>Poland: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Poland/ryTV81kg">Biblioteka Narodowa</a></li><li>Portugal: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Portugal/dFHzPIWQ">Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal</a></li><li>Romania: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Romania/bPdTLXF1">Biblioteca Naţională a României</a></li><li>Russia-Moscow: <a href="/facts/Russian_State_Library/QoDmpLWB">Российская государственная библиотека</a></li><li>Russia-St.Petersburg: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Russia/LDn1Bdyp">Rossiiskaya Natsionalnaya Biblioteka</a></li><li>San Marino: Biblioteca di Stato e Beni Librari</li><li>Serbia: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Serbia/1Qw49LzJ">Народна библиотека Србије / Narodna biblioteka Srbije</a></li><li>Slovakia: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Slovakia/3c8Bhxjw">Slovenská národná knižnica</a></li><li>Slovenia: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Slovenia/fXMNlmGU">Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica</a></li><li>Spain: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Spain/ja7xqYcz">Biblioteca Nacional de España</a></li><li>Sweden: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Sweden/aJ68QoxU">Kungliga biblioteket</a></li><li>Switzerland: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Switzerland/LlyX7Tva">Swiss National Library</a></li><li>Turkey: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Turkey/nCeLHe7p">Millî Kütüphane</a></li><li>Ukraine: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Ukraine/nQCjNufx">Національна бібліотека України імені В.І. Вернадського</a></li><li>United Kingdom: <a href="/facts/British_Library/p01eBQ5A">British Library</a></li><li>Vatican City: <a href="/facts/Vatican_Library/RNwpW2hl">Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana</a></li><li>Wales: <a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Wales/r6eaY9EE">National Library of Wales</a></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>Research Libraries who have also contributed content to The European Library as a result of the Europeana Libraries project include: </p> <table><tbody><tr><td><ul><li><a href="/facts/Bavarian_State_Library/t7T4xXxA">Bavarian State Library</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Belgrade_University_Library/21zPxB2A">Belgrade University Library</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Hungarian_Parliament/htCIpAL6">Hungarian Parliament</a> Library</li><li><a href="/facts/National_Library_of_Wales/r6eaY9EE">National Library of Wales</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Romanian_Academy/ETQwydn8">Romanian Academy</a> Library</li><li><a href="/facts/Trinity_College_Dublin/uoLh9Nsn">Trinity College Dublin</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Universidad_Complutense_de_Madrid/KHRbuGLF">Universidad Complutense de Madrid</a></li><li><a href="/facts/University_of_Berne/abhVFDch">University of Berne</a></li><li><a href="/facts/University_College_London/7dmHhCf5">University College London</a></li><li><a href="/facts/University_of_Ghent/dcmAef7x">University of Ghent</a></li></ul></td><td><ul><li><a href="/facts/Katholieke_Universiteit_Leuven/VEJryv1f">University of Leuven</a></li><li><a href="/facts/University_of_Lund/qGkLnu8F">University of Lund</a></li><li><a href="/facts/University_of_Oxford/ExVVQL6V">University of Oxford</a></li><li><a href="/facts/University_of_Sibiu/2NG7cbH4">University of Sibiu</a></li><li><a href="/facts/University_of_Tartu_Library/87oUvNNY">University of Tartu Library</a></li><li><a href="/facts/University_of_Uppsala/zQbWhyqc">University of Uppsala</a></li><li><a href="/facts/University_of_Vienna/sc4vUUe8">University of Vienna</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Wellcome_Library/Amj7feYn">Wellcome Trust Library</a></li><li><a href="/facts/Zentralbibliothek_Z%C3%BCrich/Axo8Rq6U">Zentralbibliothek Zürich</a></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li>European Union portal</li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Europeana/kPb8dU5M">Europeana</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Virtual_Centre_for_Knowledge_on_Europe/mxytvWou">Virtual Centre for Knowledge on Europe</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://www.europeana.eu/en/TEL/">The European Library at Europeana</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.cenl.org">Conference of European National Librarians (CENL)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.europeana-libraries.eu">Europeana Libraries</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Singer, Natasha "Playing Catch-Up in a Digital Library Race." New York Times, 8 January 2011. Accessed 17 January 2011. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/business/09stream.html?_r=1" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/business/09stream.html?_r=1</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Europe's national libraries and CENL commit to collaboration and mutual support as they build on the legacy of The European Library: TEL services to be discontinued from 31 December 2016" (PDF). 13 December 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2016. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190212110550/http://www.cenl.org/wp-content/uploads/20161213-TEL-closure-press-release-final.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20190212110550/http://www.cenl.org/wp-content/uploads/20161213-TEL-closure-press-release-final.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>The European Library Vision and Mission. TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Accessed 18 January 2011. <a href="https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/portal/organisation/about_us/aboutus_en.html#where_is_tel_going" target="_blank">https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/portal/organisation/about_us/aboutus_en.html#where_is_tel_going</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Van Veen, Theo and Oldroyd, Bill. "Search and Retrieval in The European Library." D-Lib Magazine Volume 10 Number 2 (2004). Accessed 18 January 2011. <a href="http://www.dlib.org/dlib/february04/vanveen/02vanveen.html" target="_blank">http://www.dlib.org/dlib/february04/vanveen/02vanveen.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Bjørner, Susanne. Thinking About Culture and Language. Searcher, 1 June 2009. Accessed 18 January 2011. <a href="http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/software-services-applications/12369091-1.html" target="_blank">http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/software-services-applications/12369091-1.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Manuscripts and Princes in Medieval and Renaissance Europe TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Accessed 30 July 2012. <a href="https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/tel4/virtual/regia" target="_blank">https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/tel4/virtual/regia</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Travelling through History TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Accessed 30 July 2012. <a href="https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition-travel-history" target="_blank">https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition-travel-history</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Reading Europe: European Culture Through The Book TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Accessed 18 January 2011. <a href="https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition-reading-europe/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition-reading-europe/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>A Roma Journey TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Accessed 18 January 2011. <a href="https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition/roma_journey/eng/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition/roma_journey/eng/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Napoleonic Wars TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Accessed 18 January 2011. <a href="https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition/napoleonic_wars/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition/napoleonic_wars/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Treasures of Europe's National Libraries TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Accessed 18 January 2011. <a href="https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition/treasures/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition/treasures/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>National Library Buildings TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Accessed 18 January 2011. <a href="https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition/buildings/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/exhibition/buildings/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>About Us TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Accessed 18 January 2011. <a href="https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/portal/organisation/about_us/aboutus_en.html" target="_blank">https://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/portal/organisation/about_us/aboutus_en.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>