Collections and Access Policies of the Digital Material of Ten National Libraries

Abstract

We examine and analyze the access policies of the digital collections of ten national libraries. We classify the implemented access policies, according to their characteristics, and we show their differences. We generalize the diversified access policies, by combining the varying parameters and other relevant emerging ones. Most national libraries prefer digitizing or make digitally available, part of their material, the one that is simpler in accessing restrictions, which was simpler to implement and more appropriate to do first. As this process evolves and matures, the libraries want to make more material available, and this will force them to handle material that is more complex in terms of copyright and access. Thus, we should predict and standardize new access policy variations. We propose a generalized access policy, on which, we classify the users up to four groups that have non-increasing access abilities, as will be defined by the implemented policy. We also propose new charging and delivery parameters for use or reproduction of the non-free and copyrighted digital material.