For the libraries I would propose, that we describe work packages, which make well defined subsets of manuscripts available, where it is my responsibility as co-ordinator, why the different sets proposed, describe a meaningful "virtual collection". I would appreciate very much, to hear from you, which material you would be willing to put into such a "virtual European collection".

The protection mechanism offered prototypically at http://helmer.hit.uib.no/emsi/, and developed further, would of course be available to all partners.

We would assume, that you receive from the project the money to buy a high level digital camera, Kontron or better (in the funding envisaged, we most probably would have to look at the eylike range of cameras - http://www.eyelike.com/), this would have to be "matched" by you with the funding for the person to handle the camera.

If you just would like to reply wther you want to participate, that is the core information.

If you want to have a clearer indication, what information will be needed to discuss the working packages, please read on.

I propose to go for a two year programme, though a longer period might be possible.

Given the speed of the camera, which is faster than one used in the pilot phase, where our Italian partners reported 80 objects / six hour day with some equipment problems, a minimum of 25.000 digital objects per 200 working day year should be used for calculations.

Assuming, that we are asking for 50.000 Euro for each library, the number of proposed pages should be calculated in such a way, that it translates into an investment in labour force, which matches these 50.000 Euro. For those libraries, where in the preliminary discussions, in agreement with the "mix libraries / museums" approach of the commission, other objects were discussed, you should consider: Objects with unequal formats (e.g. engravings) take longer to digitise than equal-format book pages; objects with more regular visual characteristics than manuscript pages need considerably less handling and digitisation time.

The 5^th framework differentiates between "research" and "demonstration" projects. Unlike the other classes of partners in the EMSI group, libraries might be more intrested in being a "demonstration" component. This would mean, that your work package simply consists in the actual digitising, with little to worry about other questions. The drawback is, that this reduces the controbution of the commission from 50 % to 35 %, which means, the number of digitised object (= the labour cost you are contributing) would have to be raised accordingly.