Treasure indeed!

The World Digital Library (http://www.wdl.org/en/) was launched on 21 April, 2009. It is an international digital library operated by UNESCO and the United States Library of Congress. The digital library is made up of images of objects, manuscripts, maps, rare books, musical scores, recordings, films, prints, and photographs from around the world. So far the collection is relatively small (1,170 items), but the items are truly wonderful. They include an audio recording of a 101-year-old former American slave, Fountain Hughes, recorded in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1949. Only 26 audio-recorded interviews of ex-slaves are known to exist, and now we can hear this interview from any internet connection.
We can also examine the Waldseemüller map, or “Map of the entire world”, the earliest map to mention America by name. This is the only known copy of this particular world map. The World Digital Library includes some of the world's first films from the Lumiere brothers. Auguste and Louis Lumière are credited with the development of the Cinématographe in 1895. The Cinématographe was a light, portable device that brought the camera (weighing just over seven kilograms) out of doors. The Lumières sent crews around the world to record a wide array of scenes and images. These films were shown to audiences which were amazed to see moving action projected on an inert screen. The short films available on the World Digital Library date from 1896, and include processions at Lourdes and Seville, and bullfighting scenes.
We hope you enjoy exploring the World Digital Library. Dr. James H. Billington, from the US Library of Congress, has said that “These are really great treasures, not merely miscellaneous things about a country or culture.” As yet, there is not much Australian content in the World Digital Library, but we understand that the project leaders are looking for an Australian partner, and content will grow with time.

As we mentioned last week, Gilgandra Shire Library will be closed from Monday to Friday this week, for our biannual stocktake. We will be taking every item down from the shelf and scanning it, to help us to maintain the accuracy of our records. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you, and thank you for your patience.