The World Digital Library received more than seven million page views on its debut April 21. The World Digital Library promotes international and inter-cultural understanding and awareness, provides resources to educators, expands non-English and non-Western content on the Internet, and contributes to scholarly research.

The site features significant primary materials from cultures around the world, including maps, rare books, musical scores, photographs and architectural drawings. Other features include "search and browse" by place, time, topic, type of item and contributing institution. It will also include a "Memory of" section devoted to in-depth exploration of the culture and history of individual countries.

Since Librarian of Congress James Billington first proposed the establishment of a World Digital Library during his speech to the U.S. National Commission for Unesco in 2005, the Library of Congress, with Googles assistance, has worked to create the online library.


The Museums and the Web conference in Indianapolis addressed the social, cultural and technological issues of heritage online in April. The conference included workshops, professional forums and "best of the web" awards.


To celebrate Preservation Month this May, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is bring back its popular This Place Matters social media campaign. The campaign encourages people across the country to showcase the places that matter to them. To participate, start by downloading the This Place Matters sign and take a photo or shoot a video of your favorite site. Then, share your content with the trust using online media sharing services like Flickr and YouTube.

Preservation Month was designed to raise awareness about how historic preservation can protect and enhance our homes, neighborhoods and communities. And it provides an opportunity for all of us to become involved in the growing preservation movement.


Cemetery care and maintenance are undergoing a surge in popularity that hasn't been seen since the Victorian era. Cemetery grave markers are at once memorials to those we've loved and pieces of art. Caring for them provides a connection to a world before the Internet absorbed all of our attention.

The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training is planning a nationwide cemetery preservation summit in Nashville later this year to bring together people from all over the country who are doing cemetery preservation. Anybody interested in cemeteries, conservators, people who manage and run cemeteries, and cemetery support groups are all invited to attend the summit. The summit will cover an array of issues with a wide range of people doing preservation work in different areas. For more information, visit the NCPTT website or any of the centers groups or feeds on Facebook and Twitter. (less info)