World libraries and copyright: National Library of France signed digital accord with government

Culture Minister of France Frederic Mitterand announced the conclusion of a framework agreement between the French government and the National Library of France on digitization of 500 000 copyrighted works which are out-of-print.

Last December the Minister appealed for digitization of “cultural, scientific and educational” documents. The government sought to prevent American corporation Google from taking hold over the French cultural heritage content. Finally the contract is signed. It concerns mostly the digitization of works delivered to the National Library of France under the legal deposit.

One digitized copy the Library will keep for itself; partly the digitized works will be available online via Gallica.

In his speech the French Culture Minister noted that digitized books will be available on the basis of collective rights management. So Mr. Mitterand promised to see to it that some articles of the intellectual property law will be modified.