The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono, recently addressed those present at an information session on Expo – The Maltese Digital Library, which is a project co-financed by the European Union.

The purpose of this digital library, which is accessible from around the world via a website, is to serve as a window to the unique characteristics of the islands of Gozo and Malta.

The Minister said that the digital library will not only be a means of sharing and exchanging experiences and information, but will also increase the cultural awareness of the Maltese islands, while also exposing the Gozitan and Maltese culture around the world.

This website will give an opportunity to the entities, organisations, associations and individuals to contribute their photos, music, audio-visual material as well as parts of books about Malta and Gozo onto http://expo.acrosslimits.com.

It is expected that by May 2011 there will be around 20,000 photographs on the site related to the Maltese islands. The content entered on the site, will also appear on the site www.europeana.eu, which is the largest digital library in Europe to promote cultural heritage, with the participation of organisations and individuals from 27 European Union member states. Europeana.eu aims by 2015 to have collected around 20 million items related to the culture of these countries.

Across Limits, the company which is conducting this project in Malta, is offering free training on the process of digitizing to all those interested in contributing. An information session about this digital library will be held in Malta, on Saturday, the 6th of November, at the premises of the National Philharmonic Society, Valletta. For more information please call on 21224900.

Permalink: Expo – The Maltese Digital Library and website in Gozo