Europeana - next steps (Communication from the European Commission, August 28, 2009)

"Much of the material accessible in digital format through Europeana is in the public domain....This material is an important source of re-use by citizens and companies alike and a driver of creativity in the internet age. For this reason, the Commission has underlined the need to keep "public domain works accessible after a format shift. In other words, works in the public domain should stay there once digitised and be made accessible through the internet". In practice this is not always the case....The issue of principle is whether it is acceptable to lock up public domain material that has been digitised with public money by public institutions instead of turning it into a pervasive asset for the information society." Also see the accompanying Staff Working Document, , which calls for public comments (esp. Questions 9 and 10), due November 15, 2009.