Library Development in the Electronic Environment: Iceland 2005

Abstract

Icelandic culture is fi rmly based in the native language and literary traditions, which are very much alive, although the population is less than 300,000. Icelanders publish more books per capita than any other country, literacy rate is high, and access to the Internet is almost universal. Modern libraries are increasingly offering electronic services along with services from printed sources. Every Internet user has access to one union catalogue, Gegnir, which covers the holdings of all types of libraries. Nation-wide licences have been signed with vendors of electronic information, providing unlimited access to 34 databases and 8000 full text scientific journals. Icelandic websites are collected according to new deposit legislation and old Icelandic print and manuscripts are being digitized and placed on the Internet. New governmental information policy supports the role of libraries in the information society.