Digital library of slovenia
Encyclopedia
The Digital Library of Slovenia is a web portal
providing ready access to digitised knowledge and cultural treasures. It offers a free search through sources and free access to digitised contents, such as periodicals
, books
, manuscripts
, map
, photographs
, music
and manuals.
(NUK). Strategic origin of the project can be found in The Strategy of the Republic of Slovenia in the Information Society si2010, the resolution on the National Programme for Culture to cover the 2008-11 period and many other European Union
documents and initiatives which define the meaning and guidelines of further development towards an open, developed and, first of all, a universally accessible information society
.
As a response to these challenges, the NUK started to develop a web portal that would guarantee an equal and free of charge access to relevant information, irrespective of user’s location. The portal would be also a support to learning, scientific and research work, cultural development, progress of national identity and also to a virtual environment. The Digital Library of Slovenia was presented to public for the first time in November 2005 and is also a part of The European Library, a joint project of European national libraries.
directly by using Z39.50
protocol which provides access to a library catalogue, or the information is a result of a digitisation of materials. Basis for metadata description is the Dublin Core
(DC) standard which suggests enlistment of 15 basic elements for describing digital objects that may be extended at will by using expandable DC scheme.
Data are taken through the HTTP protocol by placing demand on OAI-PMH server that enables influx and transmission of data from practically all existing metadata schemes. Server provides a result in one of the XML format, defined in advance. As data collections can be huge, because transferred through the web, and formation and transfer of huge XML files might take too long, transfer of collection is split in optional number of series.
National libraries, archives, depositary units and other owners of electronic contents who receive data are often faced with question referring to permanent tracking of published electronic documents. Accessibility of articles (as for instance as basis of reference) should be ensured irrespective of the fact that Uniform Resource Identifier
(URI) of a document can be changed (even often). One of the most prevalent international approaches enabling tracking of digital contents irrespective of variability of their web location is use of DOI
(Digital Object Identifier) service. Other solution that can be implemented on local level is called URN
(Uniform Resource Name).
While Digital Object Identifier is administered by the International DOI Foundation (IDF) organisation and the usage of a DOI identifier is a payable service, the URN is a solution that can be developed and used free of charge. National and University Library provided realisation of the Digital Library of Slovenia. Principle of the operation and usage of a URN reference number to a great extent resembles to the DOI indicator.There are two major system functions: the URN generator – service defining unique URN record for every object and the URN resolver – interpreter that connects a given URN record with a digital object.
, title
, publishing date, content
, type of material
…). Full-text
retrieval technology, supported by OCR
, is used to allow you to search directly in the text.
Currently available collections:
Web portal
A web portal or links page is a web site that functions as a point of access to information in the World Wide Web. A portal presents information from diverse sources in a unified way....
providing ready access to digitised knowledge and cultural treasures. It offers a free search through sources and free access to digitised contents, such as periodicals
Periodical publication
Periodical literature is a published work that appears in a new edition on a regular schedule. The most familiar examples are the newspaper, often published daily, or weekly; or the magazine, typically published weekly, monthly or as a quarterly...
, books
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
, manuscripts
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
, map
MAPS
Maps is the plural of map, a visual representation of an area.As an acronym, MAPS may refer to:* Mail Abuse Prevention System, an organisation that provides anti-spam support...
, photographs
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and manuals.
History
The Digital Library of Slovenia is a part of The National and University Library of SloveniaNational and University Library of Slovenia
The National and University Library is one of the most important national educational and cultural institutions of Slovenia. It was established in 1774 by a decree released by the Empress Maria Theresa. It is located in the centre of Ljubljana, in a building designed by the architect Jože Plečnik...
(NUK). Strategic origin of the project can be found in The Strategy of the Republic of Slovenia in the Information Society si2010, the resolution on the National Programme for Culture to cover the 2008-11 period and many other European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
documents and initiatives which define the meaning and guidelines of further development towards an open, developed and, first of all, a universally accessible information society
Information society
The aim of the information society is to gain competitive advantage internationally through using IT in a creative and productive way. An information society is a society in which the creation, distribution, diffusion, use, integration and manipulation of information is a significant economic,...
.
As a response to these challenges, the NUK started to develop a web portal that would guarantee an equal and free of charge access to relevant information, irrespective of user’s location. The portal would be also a support to learning, scientific and research work, cultural development, progress of national identity and also to a virtual environment. The Digital Library of Slovenia was presented to public for the first time in November 2005 and is also a part of The European Library, a joint project of European national libraries.
Technical aspects
The Digital Library of Slovenia portal acquires publications metadataMetadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
directly by using Z39.50
Z39.50
Z39.50 is a client–server protocol for searching and retrieving information from remote computer databases. It is covered by ANSI/NISO standard Z39.50, and ISO standard 23950. The standard's maintenance agency is the Library of Congress....
protocol which provides access to a library catalogue, or the information is a result of a digitisation of materials. Basis for metadata description is the Dublin Core
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata terms are a set of vocabulary terms which can be used to describe resources for the purposes of discovery. The terms can be used to describe a full range of web resources: video, images, web pages etc and physical resources such as books and objects like artworks...
(DC) standard which suggests enlistment of 15 basic elements for describing digital objects that may be extended at will by using expandable DC scheme.
Data are taken through the HTTP protocol by placing demand on OAI-PMH server that enables influx and transmission of data from practically all existing metadata schemes. Server provides a result in one of the XML format, defined in advance. As data collections can be huge, because transferred through the web, and formation and transfer of huge XML files might take too long, transfer of collection is split in optional number of series.
National libraries, archives, depositary units and other owners of electronic contents who receive data are often faced with question referring to permanent tracking of published electronic documents. Accessibility of articles (as for instance as basis of reference) should be ensured irrespective of the fact that Uniform Resource Identifier
Uniform Resource Identifier
In computing, a uniform resource identifier is a string of characters used to identify a name or a resource on the Internet. Such identification enables interaction with representations of the resource over a network using specific protocols...
(URI) of a document can be changed (even often). One of the most prevalent international approaches enabling tracking of digital contents irrespective of variability of their web location is use of DOI
Digital object identifier
A digital object identifier is a character string used to uniquely identify an object such as an electronic document. Metadata about the object is stored in association with the DOI name and this metadata may include a location, such as a URL, where the object can be found...
(Digital Object Identifier) service. Other solution that can be implemented on local level is called URN
URN
An urn is a vase-like container.Urn or URN may also refer to:*Uniform Resource Name, a subset of URI*User Requirements Notation, an ITU-T standard*University Radio Nottingham, a university radio station in Nottingham, England...
(Uniform Resource Name).
While Digital Object Identifier is administered by the International DOI Foundation (IDF) organisation and the usage of a DOI identifier is a payable service, the URN is a solution that can be developed and used free of charge. National and University Library provided realisation of the Digital Library of Slovenia. Principle of the operation and usage of a URN reference number to a great extent resembles to the DOI indicator.There are two major system functions: the URN generator – service defining unique URN record for every object and the URN resolver – interpreter that connects a given URN record with a digital object.
Collections
The Digital Library of Slovenia offers access to publications, published on the web and to digitised contents, published on classic carriers. Through a single access and a cross-search feature it unifies collections of a different kind in one place. Searching in collections is possible according to bibliographic data (authorAuthor
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
, publishing date, content
Content (media and publishing)
In media production and publishing, content is information and experiences that may provide value for an end-user/audience in specific contexts. Content may be delivered via any medium such as the internet, television, and audio CDs, as well as live events such as conferences and stage performances...
, type of material
Material
Material is anything made of matter, constituted of one or more substances. Wood, cement, hydrogen, air and water are all examples of materials. Sometimes the term "material" is used more narrowly to refer to substances or components with certain physical properties that are used as inputs to...
…). Full-text
Full text search
In text retrieval, full text search refers to techniques for searching a single computer-stored document or a collection in a full text database...
retrieval technology, supported by OCR
Optical character recognition
Optical character recognition, usually abbreviated to OCR, is the mechanical or electronic translation of scanned images of handwritten, typewritten or printed text into machine-encoded text. It is widely used to convert books and documents into electronic files, to computerize a record-keeping...
, is used to allow you to search directly in the text.
Currently available collections:
- Scientific and scholarly articles: there are more than 3,000 articles published in many internationally recognised professional and scientific journals.
- Articles: the collection of articles provides tools for browsing of older newspapers that gave character of the period (Kmetijske in rokodelske noviceKmetijske in rokodelske noviceKmetijske in rokodelske novice , frequently referred to simply as Novice , was a Slovene language newspaper in the 19th century, which had an influential role in the Slovene national revival....
, Ljubljanski zvonLjubljanski zvonLjubljanski zvon was a journal published in Ljubljana in Slovene between 1881 and 1941. It was considered one of the most prestigious literary and cultural magazines in Slovenia.- Early period :...
, Dom in svetDom in svetDom in svet was a Catholic cultural and literary journal in Slovenia, published from 1888 to 1943. Its long-running rivalry with the national-liberal journal Ljubljanski zvon was a major feature of Slovenian cultural life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; historian Péter Krasztev...
, Novi akordi, SodobnostSodobnostSodobnost is a Slovenian literary and cultural magazine, established in 1933. It is considered the oldest of currently existing literary magazines in Slovenia. Although Sodobnost has traditionally been a magazine focused on cultural and literary issues, it nowadays covers a wide range of current...
, Štajerc, Nova muzika). - Photographs: photographs of the poets Anton AškercAnton AškercAnton Aškerc was a Slovene poet and Roman Catholic priest, best known for his epic poems.Aškerc was born into a peasant family near the town of Rimske Toplice in the Duchy of Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire . His exact birthplace is unknown because his family was on the move at the time...
, Karel Destovnik KajuhKarel Destovnik KajuhKarel Destovnik, pen name and nom de guerre Kajuh was a Slovenian poet, translator, resistance fighter, and Yugoslav national hero.- Life and work :...
, the bishop Anton Jeglič, senators of the Drava BanovinaDrava BanovinaThe Drava Banovina or Drava Banate was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. This province consisted of most of present-day Slovenia and was named for the Drava River...
and many others; there are also postcards with Jurij VegaJurij VegaBaron Jurij Bartolomej Vega was a Slovene mathematician, physicist and artillery officer.-Early life:...
, France PrešerenFrance PrešerenFrance Prešeren was a Slovene Romantic poet. He is considered the Slovene national poet. Although he was not a particularly prolific author, he inspired virtually all Slovene literature thereafter....
, and old LjubljanaLjubljanaLjubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
; caricatures by Maksim Gaspari and Hinko Smrekar; reproductions of Ivan CankarIvan CankarIvan Cankar was a Slovene writer, playwright, essayist, poet and political activist. Together with Oton Župančič, Dragotin Kette, and Josip Murn, he is considered as the beginner of modernism in Slovene literature...
's drawings and manuscripts…together there are more than 10,500 items. - Books: the database includes books from 1830 until today. It provides free access to some of the most important works of the Slovenian authors, such as Ivan CankarIvan CankarIvan Cankar was a Slovene writer, playwright, essayist, poet and political activist. Together with Oton Župančič, Dragotin Kette, and Josip Murn, he is considered as the beginner of modernism in Slovene literature...
's Erotika, Nina, Hlapci; Dragotin KetteDragotin KetteDragotin Kette was a Slovene Impressionist and Neo-Romantic poet. Together with Josip Murn, Ivan Cankar and Oton Župančič, he is considered as the beginner of modernism in Slovene literature.-Life:...
's Poezije; Josip Murn's Pesmi in romance. For the admirers of poetic realism, the collection includes Janko KersnikJanko KersnikJanko Kersnik was a Slovene writer and politician. Together with Josip Jurčič, he is considered the most important representative of Literary realism in the Slovene language.- Biography :...
and his work Kmetske slike. A treasure of special kind is the first translation of the libretto of Richard WagnerRichard WagnerWilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's opera LohengrinLohengrin (opera)Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
, published as a separate edition. - Posters: the collection includes advertising, promotional, film and war posters and also political posters by well-known authors, such as Maksim Gaspari and Ive Šubic. All together, there are almost 4,000 posters available.
- Sheet music: in more than 1,000 records, there are works of the Ipavec family, Danilo Fajgelj, Risto Savin, Stanko Premrl, Emil Adamič, Slavko Osterc, Marij Kogoj. The arrangements of the Slovenian folk songs and the songs from the turning points in the Slovene history and one of the first arrangements of Prešeren's ZdravicaZdravljicaZdravljica or Zdravica, written in 1844, is a poem by the Slovene Romantic poet France Prešeren, considered the national poet of Slovenes. Since 27 September 1989, its 7th stanza has been the national anthem of Slovenia....
(Slovenian national anthem) are also included in this database. - Higher education publications: offers free access to complete scientific research works of various domains, ranging from natural, social to library sciences.
- Maps: the selection of old maps provides access to the famous Peter KozlerPeter KozlerPeter Kozler or Kosler was a Slovene lawyer, geographer, cartographer, activist and manufacturer...
's map Zemljovid slovenske dežele in pokrajin, ValvasorJanez Vajkard ValvasorJohann Weichard Freiherr von Valvasor or simply Valvasor was a Slovenian nobleman, scientist and polymath, and a fellow of the Royal Society in London.-Biography:...
's maps of CarniolaCarniolaCarniola was a historical region that comprised parts of what is now Slovenia. As part of Austria-Hungary, the region was a crown land officially known as the Duchy of Carniola until 1918. In 1849, the region was subdivided into Upper Carniola, Lower Carniola, and Inner Carniola...
, and all the others, including Sebastian MünsterSebastian MünsterSebastian Münster , was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and a Hebrew scholar.- Life :Münster was born at Ingelheim near Mainz, the son of Andreas Munster. He completed his studies at the Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen in 1518. His graduate adviser was Johannes Stöffler.He was appointed to...
, who pictured the Slovenian ethnical territory as it was in the 16th century. In addition, the Maps database also includes old plans of the capital of Ljubljana (from 1820 to 1920). - Sound recordings: it consists of the recordings of solo singers and ensembles dating from the beginning of the 20th century, including a wide range of folk songs.