LOC cooperates with EZB (Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek)

[Ann Okerson <ann.okerson@yale.edu>]

Below follows a translation of a press release issued last week in German 
from the Regensburg University and their EZB project.  Of great interest.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
RELEASE

Developed five years ago as a new service in the Regensburg University
Library for using electronic scientific and scholarly journals, the EZB
(Electronic Journal Library/Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek) has
developed rapidly in the areas of scholarship and research.  In that time,
more than 200 research libraries and research institutes in Germany and
others elsewhere in Europe have joined the service.  Now the Library of
Congress, the leading library in the United States and the largest library
in the world, has joined as a new member.  The EZB has in the process won
a powerful international partner.

Made aware of the impressive range and quality of the collection and the
userfriendly presentation of over 14,000 electronic journals, the Library
of Congress wanted to broaden its experience with this innovative library
service.  Their representatives were especially taken with the division of
labor in the organization of the EZB.  Specifically, the full text
scholarly journals were gathered on a cooperative basis by all the members
in a central database operated in Regensburg.  The metadata needed for use
of the journals was managed in common.  Only through the collaboration of
many partners can the quality and availability of the data be assured for
the long term.  The Regensburg University Library constructed the
technical and management infrastructure required for the enterprise.  
Thanks to the support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the
German government's Ministry for Education and Research, the service can
be continually adjusted and developed for new demands.

The Library of Congress invited the Regensburg University Library to visit
Washington in January of this year for a demonstration of the service
onsite and to discussion the possibilities for cooperation.  In April, the
Library of Congress decided to employ the opportunities of cooperation
with this service and to take part in the common effort.  A common
exchange of data will be carried out, which will bring appreciable
advantages for both parties.  The Library of Congress is able to offer its
users improved and more expansive access to electronic journals and at the
same time the EZB enriches itself with a considerable number of titles.  
Through the new partnerships we have a most promising opportunity to
esbalish the EZB beyond Europe as the largest collection of scholarly
online journals in the world.  That should further increase the already
intensive use - in the last year, 6.4 million requests for titles were
logged - still further.

Going forward, the Library of Congress and the Regensburg University
Library (representing the EZB) have joined in other aspects of
collaboration.  One challenging aspect of the cooperation will be to
develop common international standards for the development of this new
form of publication and the technical experience that will allow for an
efficiently automated data exchange.  The goals include also a mutual
exchange of know-how in the acquisition and licensing of electronic
journals.  We have made a beginning in a very promising international
partnership.

URL of the EZB (Elektronische Zeitschriftenbibliothek):
	http://www.bibliothek.uni-regensburg.de/ezeit/

Contact person:
Dr. Evelinde Hutzler
Universittsbibliothek Regensburg
Tel: 0941/943-4411
e-mail: evelinde.hutzler@bibliothek.uni-regensburg.de