In a strange but somehow very satisfying example of how the digital era sometimes brings things full circle, one of the world’s oldest novels has just become one of the newest.
“The Tale of Genji,” an 11th-century Japanese romp that is sometimes called the first true novel, is among about 1,250 books, maps, artworks and other cultural items that went on display online Tuesday in an international library supported by Unesco and the U.S. Library of Congress.
The project, called the World Digital Library, aims to “promote international and intercultural understanding,” said James H. Billington, the U.S. librarian of Congress, speaking as the website was introduced at Unesco headquarters in Paris.
Meanwhile, Google has embarked on a mission to scan millions of books into digital form, some of which are also included in the public sector digitisation projects. Google has supported the World Digital Library with a $3 million grant — part of $10 million in funding from a variety of organizations — and Dr. Billington said the goals of his project differed from those of Google Book Search. Much of the material in the World Digital Library is of historical interest and, unlike Google Book Search, it does not include copyrighted works.
