[pdb-discuss] Brief update from iSummit

Tue Jun 27 19:05:43 UTC 2006

Ahoy,

The talk went down well, people were impressed and interested in what we were 
doing. Everyone was talking about open content and PD registries, and I heard 
about lots of other PD digitisation projects, specifically in the 
Netherlands, Canada, Chile, Italy and Australia.

Some thoughts that I took away:

1. We should talk to these other projects more about collaboration. For 
example an ideal end point would be a global registry (people and works with 
files) with localised (to jurisdiction) frontends (PD or not PD). It would be 
silly to duplicate work if it's practical to avoid doing so. The 
collaboration could be anything from documenting our work to sharing 
codebases to sharing the registry database to applying for funding together. 
It would make a lot of sense to at least create a hub (wiki page and/or 
mailing list) through iCommons so people doing public domain projects can 
keep in touch and discuss this further.

2. Our wiki is already serving as a very nice documentation resource, ala "how 
does one set-up a PD digitisation project?" so we should keep that work up.

3. It sold best when I strongly linked PD Burn, Open Shakespeare and the 
possible history project together. You get four complementary aims that way:
- a registry for determining PD status
- copies of works
- tools to make innovative use of works
- a huge demonstration of the value of the PD

4. Following on from 1 and 3, the value of the projects making use of the PD 
is that they provide a localised or indigenous or whathaveyou angle on an 
otherwise homogenising global PD. There's no harm in a global registry, but 
there's great value in celebrating the strength and diversity of works 
originally created in the UK, for example.

That's about it, I think. The main thing right now, aside from the great 
ongoing work, is to act on item 1.

Regards,
Tom

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