Digital Libraries and Web Linking

Abstract

In the digital era knowledge and information are becoming more and more online accessible. In this perspective, libraries have a vital function in respect of copyright protection and accessibility to knowledge. On the one hand, web services are facilitating flow of information and access to knowledge; on the other hand, Internet moots questions regarding copyrights protection. The main purpose of linking is the creation of the World Wide Web as a thesaurus of knowledge and information. Nevertheless, digitization projects on an international level are already experiencing conversely issues, mainly because of copyright. Purpose of this chapter is to discuss some of these issues deriving from the linking, particularly for digital libraries. What is the relation between the scope of digital libraries on the one hand and of copyright on the other one? What is the role of the various stakeholders, i.e. the libraries and the right holders?