Taking after Google Books, the German Digital Library (Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek) has sought to digitize books, magazines, photographs and films in an attempt to alleviate the presence of a private corporation heading the culmination and cultivation of culture. Running behind Google, the DDB seeks to release a trial version in 2011 but as of right now they face difficulties in funding for the scanning of older documents and in securing copyrights for contemporary works. The DDB’s intended search engine is more detailed and precise, but with Google already ahead, there are questions over whether or not to let Google head the whole project.
It is ambitious of Germany to set their sights on digitizing millions of works from all around their country. It is even more relevant that they are trying to preserve the relationship of country and culture. Google as a private corporation will scatter the cultural backgrounds of many of these pieces turning them into sales of electronic books. However, Google is an internet attraction world-wide with countless connections that will help it be up and running and completed much earlier than the DDB. The DDB right now is very ambitious but lacks sufficient funds to spur its goals. Nevertheless, their intentions to safeguard culture and create a more elaborate search engine are valuable in the long run; but it is yet to be seen how they will head on in the new year.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,676591,00.html#ref=rss
