Objective
The purpose of the ELITE project was to develop a generic model for distributed library services to users including a detailed assessment of economic, organisational, managerial and technical options. ELITE synthesized the results of this analyse and develop a prototype leading to a validation phase of viable operational models for distributed library services.
ELITE used the results from national initiatives (RAPDOC, AGADES, ...) and the results of previous Commission projects (eg EDIL, ION, FASTDOC).
Technical approach
The project analysed different options for distributed library services, to prepare for a second phase where the preferred and validated model could be implemented. The project performed the following tasks:
define, in a first step, the methodology to be used in investigating the different options mentioned above;
examine at a European scale the economic, organisational and technical issues and report these studies to the libraries community through public workshops;
synthesize the results and develop a prototype leading to a validation phase of viable operational models for distributed library services;
prepare a realistic implementation project, whose feasibility will be studied by the development of prototypes.
Key issues
The document delivery projects launched these last years, under national initiatives or with the support of the European Libraries programme, mainly aimed to experiment with the introduction of new technologies in the libraries environment. To date, and beyond this phase of technical suitability, the challenge is to meet the users' new requirements in building services which:
integrate the whole functions of information access (searching, ordering, delivery, billing, etc.);
deal with economic, administrative and legal aspects of information dissemination;
take into account the special requirements of each user category.
Impact, users and expected results
The project analysed key issues for all implementors of document delivery systems. It delivered a number of reports documenting the work: Market analysis and Service contract(s), Organisational aspects, Technical choices, as well as the specification for the model could be implemented in a second phase.
Deliverables
ELITE Requirements
ELITE Service Model
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
92029 NANTERRE
France