South-Eastern European Digitization Initiative – SEEDI

The availability of high quality digital content is in the basis of humanitarian and social research. Smaller countries from the South-Eastern Europe are still far from moving in line with the European Commission guidelines. The European Commission Recommendation [1a] of 24 August 2006 on the digitization and online accessibility of cultural material and digital preservation recommends setting up of large and sustained digitization facilities, encouraging partnerships between cultural institutions and the private sector, solving the problems around orphan works as well as developing clear quantitative targets for digitization efforts. In her speech [2] “The Role of Libraries in the Information Society ” Mrs. Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner on IS & Media stressed that to make “valuable cultural heritage more visible and accessible ” is a higher priority in the EU. The importance of libraries in our society and the i2010 context were also discussed. The three flagship initiatives of i2010 are first, caring for people in an ageing society, second, the intelligent car and third, digital libraries. Amongst the basic aims are to avoid duplication, to cooperate in networking and standards, as well as in developing common and more cost-effective solutions. The practices in South-Eastern Europe are still not matching the priorities communicated on th